


Love Under Fire

by NovelCarrington



Category: Chris Evans - Fandom, Real Person Fiction
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-02
Updated: 2015-12-24
Packaged: 2018-05-04 11:51:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 38,759
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5333090
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NovelCarrington/pseuds/NovelCarrington
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Carter Gray is an analyst assigned to a Marine outpost in Afghanistan to review military protocols.   She has a hard time getting along with the CO of the outpost, Captain Chris Evans.  Sparks fly and egos clash – when battles test them, how do they respond?  (AU Chris Evans story)</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> July 8, 2016: This work has been edited. I have fixed some vocabulary, spelling, and grammatical issues as well as consolidated the chapters. The story has moved from 20 chapters to 10. The content/storyline has remained the same.

The whooshing of the helicopter blades sliced through the bright afternoon sun. Even with headphones on to communicate with the pilot, the sounds of the chopper made it hard to hear or even to think. The rush of air through the open doors was hot; she hated when people used the description of it being a dry heat - it didn’t diminish the fact that it was hot. And after all, ovens have dry heat. She wasn’t excited about this trip, they were sending her to a remote outpost, and these trips were never welcomed. As the helicopter began to land, it kicked up dust and dirt and made it almost impossible to see. She was glad her pilot was experienced because she had no clue as to how the hell he could see the ground or his landing spot. She closed her eyes and waited for the thud to announce that they were down - she hated helicopters. 

All around her were mountains; the fear began to rise that they were in a valley and would be prime targets for an ambush. She remembered there was a story very similar to this in which an entire team was almost lost; she was pretty sure someone got the Congressional Medal of Honor for actually surviving it and trying to save members of his team. Surely the military wouldn’t be stupid enough to set up another team like that. She unbuckled from the helicopter and grabbed her gear. The liaison officer began to approach her, and she steeled herself for the shit-storm that was about to erupt.

“Good Afternoon, I’m Corporal Brandon Miller.” The look on his face was not inviting. Instead, he appeared quite confused and a little leery about the woman standing in front of him.

She extended her hand to the officer, “Good Afternoon Corporal Miller. I take it that you were expecting a man to be arriving? Yeah, your disappointment mirrors that of the day when I was born; Carter Gray pleased to meet you.” 

“Sorry ma’am, I didn’t mean any offense.”

“It is okay Miller; I am used to it,” She was a bit cold and unfriendly but figured it was best. They didn’t want her here so no sense being nice. She scanned the landscape before looking back at the man in front of her, “Can you show me to my barracks and where I can begin working?”

“Absolutely, yes ma’am. Our Captain would like to have a word with you once you are settled.”

She stopped and turned to face Miller, “No need to keep the Captain waiting, please point me in his direction.” 

Carter had known that the Captain of this post had made it clear to the top brass that he did not want some analyst coming in to tell him how to operate his post. He didn’t need some pencil pushing frat boy coming in and giving directions when he didn’t know the first thing about military operations. Imagine his surprise when finds out the pencil pushing frat boy is a woman! She could imagine the look on his face, but she had to admit she knew nothing of this man other than his propensity to generalize stereotypes and discount military analysts. 

Corporal Miller knocked and waited for approval before opening the door. The Captain stood with his back to the door and a phone held up to his ear. Carter could tell that he was well built and beautifully proportioned before ever seeing his face. The ratio from his shoulders to his waist was well defined; about as well defined as his arms. Good grief, she believed the phrase was ‘built like a brick shithouse’ and it definitely seemed appropriate here. His voice was smooth and gruff at the same time; the velvet voice had perfect timbre, but he was brusque with whoever was on the phone with.  
“You heard me damn it; I am done arguing this point. I don’t want an analyst on my base, and I am not going to come around to your side of it. The war on terror is not going to be won by some pencil pushing number cruncher telling me how to manage my team. I don’t give two fucks if you are sending me some brilliant analyst who knows their shit – have they been in combat? Yeah didn’t think so.”

He turned around to slam the phone down, and Carter’s breath caught. He was a good-looking man with messed brown hair, piercing eyes, and perfectly shaped lips. Beards were not allowed within the Marine Corps, but he had the stubble to show he was pushing the rule. “Sorry, Miller I did not intend the call to go in that direction. What can I do for you?

“Captain Evans, this is Ms. Gray. She is the military analyst sent by Washington. I advised that you wanted to speak to her, and she suggested coming to see you before settling in, sir.” Miller was nervous to bring Gray into the office, especially after hearing that phone call.

Evans hung his head, not realizing that the person he had just been screaming about on the phone was in earshot. He looked at her for a moment before addressing her, “Hello Ms. Gray, I trust your trip in was uneventful?”

“Yes, sir just how like a like it.”

“Miller you are dismissed. Please, have a seat.” He said motioning to the chair directly in front of Carter. 

“You can cut the pleasantries, Captain. I heard your call, I know you think there is no need for me to be in your camp and would like nothing more than for Washington to keep their pencil pushing frat boys and, I assume, sorority girls, away from your team. I am here to do a job, and I am damn good at it. You can work with me, or I can work without you; I am good either way. Are we clear?”

“I see someone is unclear on how to speak to a military officer,” he said, crossing his arms and taking his own defensive stance.

“I am very clear on how to talk to an officer that I respect. You want my respect then you need to show some to me and my position.” Carter turned on her heels; picked up her bags and began walking out of the office without being properly dismissed. 

Corporal Miller was outside of the office and was able to hear every bit of the conversation since the door had not been closed. He quietly opened the door leading outside when Carter approached. “Ms. Gray, I hope you do not view all of us in the same light at Captain Evans - not all of us are cut from that cloth so to speak.”

Carter stopped and reached for Miller’s arm, “Hey, I’m aware that not everyone is like Evans; I get it. I’m just making him understand that I’m not going to let him run over me just because he doesn’t like that I am here. I might be, in his mind, only an analyst but I have a military background, and I’ve worked in intelligence. I’m not a dog for him to kick around.”

Miller shook his head and understood that she needed to assert herself. This was going to be interesting, to say the least. He knew that before too long these two would bang heads again; for her sake, he hoped Gray was as tough as she was portraying.

Captain Evans picked up the phone and dialed, getting impatient waiting for the line to connect, “Let me talk to the Major please...this is Captain Evans,” his voice was terse.

“Hello Chris, is this going to be another call to tell me how much you hate the idea of an analyst being in your camp?”

“Frank, you let them send a woman to my camp? Are you serious? How will she survive without the ability to shop or go out for coffee?” He began pacing back and forth behind his desk, “Frank, she has to go, I can’t babysit her if we get action - this has to be a bad joke.”

“Who did they send you? I had no idea how the assignments were passed out man, I swear.”

“I got some woman named Gray.”

“Oh man, they sent you Gray? Chris, I have heard stories about her. They say she can handle herself, has brass ones and can spit nails. I don’t think you have to worry about her wanting to shop or get coffee; although she might try and eat you for lunch.” Frank let out a dry chuckle, “Hell Chris I would just be careful and make sure you don’t fall in love with her.”

“Oh, I don’t think you need to worry about that Frank. She just told me off - I said she didn’t know how to talk to an officer, and she told me she knows how to talk to ones she respects. She has a mouth on her Frank, and I know it will be hell having her here.”

“Chris, don’t do anything stupid. She is only going to be there a short time. Don’t make waves for her and let her do her analysis and go home. Just play it very cool.”

“Yeah thanks, Frank, appreciate the support.” With that, he hung up the phone and pondered how he could get her to go home.

~ * * * ~

The first few days in the camp had been difficult; every day Evans was finding something to get worked up about. The constant fights with him were beginning to drain Carter of her enthusiasm for her job. She was sent here to work with the intelligence officers at the camp and to help ensure protocols were being followed for their patrols. This was all routine and just a way for Washington to make sure that each unit was following the appropriate guidelines so they weren’t blindsided if something went wrong. She could not figure out why Evans so was worked up about it; they weren’t questioning his leadership, and she was not there to dig up ‘dirt’ on him - this was a routine type of visit.

Carter knew a thing or two about Marines with amazingly fragile egos. They are rough and tumble men who have no reservations about marching into battle and doing what needs to be done, but question them on protocols or their leadership, and they become difficult to talk to. Carter had grown up the only child of a Brigadier General in the Marine Corps; when she was a young girl her mother decided that being someone’s mom was not a job she wanted - so she left. It was just her and her dad as they hopscotched the world when his orders would change; he did his best trying to raise a little girl, but it was not always easy. He was very strict, and she tried to push the limits. He seemed to understand that she was testing her limits; however, he was very clear that Carter would go into the military and serve her country. She knew there was no sense in fighting it; this was an order that she would not be able to get out of. She wanted to go to college first - it would help when she enlisted and provide a strong background to get the right type of assignment when her orders would come down. Having a college degree meant that she would go to Officer Training School where your test scores dictated what you would do for the Corps. She never wanted to be on the front lines and ironically hated firing her weapon. Luckily her test scores were high, and they realized she would be valuable in other areas; she was spared front line duty. She was able to quote military strategies and understood how to decipher intelligence data that was being collected; she was stationed at Quantico.

Her officer commitment was four years active duty with another four years of inactive reserves. Meaning she could be recalled when and if her services were needed. At the end of her four years, she decided that being a career Officer was not what she wanted. She needed to have some variety and the ability to have a life not dictated by her service. She was provided an opportunity to retain her job but as a civilian contractor and went in that direction; the money was better, and the chances for deployment were greatly diminished. Her father was not happy with her decision. 

She was finishing her last year of inactive duty when she uncovered some information about certain military outposts being at risk. Not all outposts were in danger, but there were concerns over locations and their risk for infiltration that drew the red flags. Carter had briefed the top brass on her findings and tried to compel them to look into this further. They were not completely sold on the idea but told her if she was so sure - she could go herself to test her theories and collect the data. In their mind one of two things would happen, she would find issues and save lives or she would be wrong and be discredited. The brass was okay with either scenario.

To avoid setting Evans off as much as possible, Carter kept to herself in the workspace provided. She reviewed maps and ledgers and had conversations with different members of the team. She did all of this with Corporal Miller at her side. She knew he said he was a liaison, but he was more like a jailer - the only time he left her side was when she slept or went to the bathroom. She was fairly sure that Miller was giving Evans a daily briefing on her movements; she wasn’t doing anything out of step so she didn’t care. You only really care that someone is watching if you have something to hide. 

One of the rules for being on base was that she had to report to Evans at the end of each week in regards to her findings. She was not looking forward to this and, therefore, was extremely slow in her walk to his office. She entered the building and tried to get her attitude ready before approaching his door and knocking. She had hoped he was not in, and she could avoid this, but, unfortunately, that was not the case. 

“Enter!” She heard as she knocked solidly on the door. As she stepped into the office, Captain Evans looked up at her, making direct eye contact. The clarity in his eyes and his stare were off-putting. This man was gorgeous, and she had to pretend she didn’t notice. “Gray, what can I do for you?”

“It is the end of the week I guess you want my report? Is now a good time or should I schedule an appointment?” There was a slight tone of sarcasm in her voice; she couldn’t help it this man infuriated her and turned her on at the same time.

“Now is fine, please sit,” he motioned to the chair while he rose and walked to shut the door behind her. “Gray, I would like to see if we can clear the air and try to make the best of this arrangement for the next few weeks.”

“Sorry to hear you have been unable to get me pulled from this assignment. I am going to guess that it is taking everything within you to be polite.”

“And what makes you say that?”

“Oh, I have my sources, Evans. Remember I am in intelligence and not just a sorority girl. ” She gave a wry smile, “You aren’t really great at hiding your feelings about me anyway.”

He was taken aback by her boldness and her declaration. She was a beautiful woman, and her feisty attitude was alarmingly sexy. “Right, well I have made it clear that I don’t think you need to be here but as you know, I have been overruled.”

“Do you not want me here because of my job or because I am a woman? I just want to be clear on that.” She was not backing down.

“I have been opposed to this all along and to be frank, I had no idea they were sending a female analyst. I just didn’t want someone coming in here and telling me how to do my job.”

“You’re in the military Evans, you should be used to taking orders by now,” she scoffed.

“I am, from my superior officers not from civilians who have no idea what they are talking about,” he was not backing down either. She had a fiery and sassy attitude, but she was on his base, and he was not going to go easy on her just because she is a woman. 

Carter rose to stand toe-to-toe with him, “I am not your average civilian. I am a Marine first and an analyst second. I have a job to do, the same as you and I will not let your attitude get in my way.”

“You are a former Marine?”

“Former? You should know there is no such thing; once a Marine, always a Marine. Plus, my father was a Brigadier General in the Corps so I am well versed in military strategy. And after my entire rant, that is what you latched on to? So does that make a difference to you?”

His use of the word ‘former’ was a test, and she passed; it is easy to tell someone’s respect for the Corps based on how they refer to themselves in it. He had no idea how old she was but guessing, she would still be in the inactive reserves. He was snapped back to reality when she mentioned her father, “I never put it together - is your father Brigadier General William Gray?”

Carter was a little surprised; she didn’t expect Evans to know who he was. “Let me guess, you’re a fan?”

“Well I know of him; I heard him speak several years ago. He is of course well known for some of his tactics and views, and I have caught him on TV from time to time. I respect the man for his service - he has seen quite a bit of action. ”

“Yeah, well he likes to hear himself talk and loves the idea of being on TV,” she said with a touch of bitterness. William Gray was not a lovable man, and he did not share or show emotions; she had hoped her accomplishments would earn respect from him, but she was still waiting. “So, now you know my pedigree, and that suddenly changes your mind about me being here?”

“No, doesn’t change a thing except that maybe now I see why you are here.”

“Excuse me? Don’t tell me that you know think that I got my job because of the General? You have nerve, Evans. Nothing is handed to me because of him - actually, it is the opposite.”

“Oh I don’t think you are here because your father sent you - I believe that you are here to prove something to him and to yourself. I believe that it should be interesting to see what you have to say, please enlighten me as to your findings.” The tone of his voice was condescending at best.

“Ten minutes ago you weren’t willing to hear anything I have to say. Now you think you have me figured out based on some armchair quarterbacking?” Carter tossed something on the desk, turned and began walking towards the door. “Men, you idiots are all the same.” She opened the door and slammed it on her way out. 

She continued a mental argument with Evans as she marched across the base and back to her barracks. Being on one of these missions was never easy; she was used to the resentment and the sneers from the personnel. Everyone took it personal when there was an audit or an analyst on base, but this guy took it to a freaking art form. Amazingly, most of the Marines at this base were respectful and friendly enough - she wasn’t going to be best friends with any of them, but the healthy dose of respect and the wide berth went a long way. 

She sat at her computer and began typing her email to Quantico when her Skype program began to buzz; she had an incoming call from her best friend back in Washington. She clicked the button to accept the call, “Hey Roxie, isn’t it kind of early for you to be calling? Did something happen?”

“Nah, I just couldn’t sleep so I have been up rattling around and thought I would see if you were available. How is life in Afghanistan?”

“Oh it is lovely this time of year; the dust storms are minimal unless you have a chopper coming in. And the heat, well let’s just say it is just short of hell degrees.”

“Wow, that nice, eh? Maybe I need to plan a vacation.”

“I am in a remote area on a base that had no desire for me to be here, so yeah it is almost paradise.”

“How long are you going to be there?”

“Probably a few weeks, I am trying to get out of here as fast as I can, though.”

“You seem agitated, what is going on?”

“The Captain of this base does not want me here and is making things difficult. He is an ass, and I just had a confrontation with him before you called. I am still a little worked up, I am sorry.”

“Is it anyone we know?”

“No, don’t think you know him; his name is Evans. He just put together my connection to the General so now not only do I have to deal with him not wanting me around but he is a fanboy! He is infuriating Roxie, making it hard for me to do my job - he doesn’t want me here, and he keeps fighting me at every turn. I just want to punch him in that perfect smile.”

Roxie began laughing, “Is he hot? I mean if you are noticing his smile and how perfect it is you must have noticed if he is good looking.”

“Good looking? No, he isn’t good looking - he is fucking gorgeous, and it pisses me off even more!”

Roxie’s laugh was heartier, and she began to tear up. “Oh that is the root of this, Carter is in a remote area with a base full of men, and she is crushing on the Captain.”

“No, no that is not it! Carter is here to do a job, and she finds it hard to fight with the man who has control over whether this will be an easy task or hard one.” She took a sip of her water and then continued, “Damn Roxie you have me talking in the third person now...stop it! I am not crushing on him - he is an insufferable ass.”

“Yeah, and you think he is hot. So, what is his name?”

“I already told you, Evans. Were you not paying attention?”

“No silly, his first name? Are you on a first name basis yet?”

“I have no idea what his first name is, and I don’t care. He is Evans, and I am Gray, and that is how it will remain.”

“Oh, you made a rhyme aren’t you cute!”

“Shut up Roxie! So what is going on in DC?”

The two women had chatted for several minutes before they disconnected their call and Carter got back to her email. The sad thing is that Roxie got her thinking. This man was incredibly handsome, and it is hard to go in and talk to him because she couldn’t help but notice that. Now that Roxie had called attention to the fact that she was attracted to him, it would make this job even harder. She had to stay focused, stay on the job at hand and get the hell out of Dodge when she could.


	2. Chapter 2

The air was still and early in the morning, it was still unbearably hot. Head down and reviewing documents on the desk, the silence of the morning was pierced by the phone ringing; Evans answered after the 2nd ring. 

“Morning Chris, are you approving the stuff that Gray sends out? I mean she is keeping you in the loop of what she is doing, right?”

“She is supposed to bring me stuff; she told me she would show me her reports. Why?”

“Man she just sent out her first report, and she is wicked smart about a few things, and I want to make sure you know what she has come up with. It will make you look really good if you are in lock step with what she is talking about.”

“What do you mean she sent out her first report? When did you get a report from her?”

“It was in my inbox this morning, I just finished reading it. So I would take it with the time difference and all, she sent it late last night. Are you saying you haven’t seen this yet?”

He slammed his fist down on the desk, “FUCK! Yes, that is exactly what I am saying Frank. She was in my office yesterday and got into a pissing contest with me and stormed out. I can only guess she was going to show me the report and then after our little tiff she forgot about it.”

“Chris you can’t fight with this woman; I know you have said you don’t want her there, but I’ve told you she is smart, and it would be in your best interest to get on board with this. She has said in this thing that she isn’t ready to implement changes until she can run impact scenarios but she has some strong points.” Frank stopped talking and could tell that Chris was trying to level his breathing and his emotions. “You haven’t slept with her, right? I mean that isn’t what the argument was about, was it?”

“Good grief, Frank! Hell no I haven’t slept with her - what kind of a guy do you think I am?”

“Well, you are a single good-looking man who has been in a desert way too long. You have a playboy personality and women generally throw themselves at you - I figure you would just do what comes naturally.” The humor was thick in his voice.

“Even if I was interested in her, and that is a huge if, do you know who her dad is? No, I guess you don’t so let me tell you, she is Brigadier General William Gray’s daughter?”

Frank sat up straight in his chair, “You are kidding? I mean I knew her name was Gray, but I didn’t know of the connection. Holy shit, no wonder she is so damn insightful and smart.”

“I don’t care how smart she is Frank, I don’t want her here! She makes me nervous. I am not sure what her end-game is and now that I know she turned in a report without me seeing it first; well it makes me even more resolved to get her off my base.” His voice rose with hostility towards Gray. He knew that it was not Frank’s fault, but he happened to catch the wrong end of it since he was on the other end of the line.

“Chris, take a deep breath and don’t do anything stupid. Give her a chance to explain; and if that doesn’t work, kiss her until she melts and then moves on.”

Evans hung up the phone with authority. Frank was right in one sense; he did not need to go see her when he was angry as it would not go well. He had to watch his step and did not want to get on the wrong side of her father even if was no longer active in the Corps. He began pacing back and forth behind his desk, trying to determine the best way to approach this when he finally decided to just take it head on.

He walked out of his office and walked with determination over to her work area. He pulled the door open and when the Marines in the area noticed it was him they stood to attention. Not Carter, she kept her head down reviewing the maps and documentation laid out across the table. She did not acknowledge his presence at all. Evans motioned for the door with his head, and all of the Marines quickly filed out of the room. Carter still did not acknowledge that he was there.

“Gray, we need to talk right now,” his voice was deep and commanding.

“Talk away, I am working,” she responded without looking up. She knew deep down why he was there, and she had no intention of giving in or making it easy on him.

“I just got a call from Quantico, one that I was not really anticipating.”

“Oh, and why is that?” Again, she gave no consideration to him and kept working.

“Cut the shit Gray, you know exactly what it was about.” He took a few steps toward her, maintaining a little distance but not much. He wanted to be in her space and increase the pressure. “I thought there was a protocol in providing updates?”

“There is, and I followed it,” Carter said defiantly.

“Like hell you did, if that was the case then how did Quantico get the report before I did? Explain yourself and this better be good.”

Carter let a sly smile begin to form on her lips before she put her pencil down and stood straight up to gaze into his eyes. She had to admit, the fire that danced in his eyes at the moment was erotic, and she wanted to just grab his face and kiss him. She quickly shook her head to remind herself to focus, “If you will recall Captain, I came into the office yesterday with the report in my hand prepared to talk to you about it before you turned into a fanboy for the General and accused me of getting my current position because of him.” She was starting to really enjoy this; he was starting to sweat with her standing so close. “I tossed it on your desk before I walked about but I guess you weren’t really paying attention. I went back to my barracks, took an incoming call and then sent an email to Quantico.”

“You are so smug right now; it really is not attractive on you.” He took a step closer, he wanted to get in her face, but the problem was he didn’t trust himself that close to her. Instead, he just turned and walked toward the door. With his back to her, he began to speak, “You know Gray, I am sure you are enjoying making me look bad. I have to admit, that is not the mark of a real Marine. Your ambition will bite you in the ass one day.” He waited for a moment, and when she did not respond, he turned the knob and walked out the door.

Once he left the room, Carter exhaled the breath that she didn’t realize she was holding. She had felt a spark when they were standing close, and she thought he must have felt it too. But when he started to walk away she thought she misread the signs. However, her heart stopped when he called her out - she didn’t want to make him look bad. None of what she did was to make the officers in the outposts looks bad. In fact, she wanted to shine the spotlight on what they were doing well and tweak minor items that would have a positive impact. 

A few moments later the Marines that Evans had shuffled out of the room began coming back. They didn’t ask what happened, but they could tell after seeing Carter that something had definitely changed.

~ * ~  
An hour or so had passed since Evans had left her workspace and Carter was still having trouble concentrating. She told Miller and her team that she was done for the day, and they could all leave; she told them she had a headache. It wasn’t a lie; her headache just happened to be six feet tall, handsome and the CO of the base. She walked back over to her barracks replaying their confrontation in her mind. He was right, she did not follow the rules the way they were intended, and she knew it was because they were too confrontational with one another. 

She hated to admit that she was wrong, but she felt like she owed it to him. Her conscience was beginning to eat at her, and she figured she owed him an apology and should, at least, make an effort. She left her barracks and started walking across the camp towards his office. The MP on duty outside of his office informed her that he was at the gun range and would not be back in his office that afternoon. She decided that even though it could go terribly wrong to confront him when he has a gun in his hand, she had to at least try. Gray hoped if she walked slow and took her time, the possibility would be that he would be wrapped up, and she wouldn’t have to actually step foot in the range area; it was evidently not her lucky day.

Evans was the only one on the range at the time; he was dressed in camouflage pants and a tight green t-shirt that did a fantastic job of showing off his defined torso and amazing biceps. She had to be vigilant to keep from drooling over this man; he really was a specimen to behold. His stance was perfect, and he held his weapon with confidence and projected power and strength. She found herself daydreaming and wondering what it would be like to be in his arms and have him hold her with that same power and confidence. She was snapped back to reality when the pops from his gun began again.

Carter counted the shots and waited until the weapon had been fully discharged before she approached him. She reached out to touch his shoulder, knowing the ear protection that he wore would keep him from hearing her say his name. As she touched him, she felt a spark of electricity, she quickly pulled her hand back just as he turned and raised his weapon. Carter was not expecting to look down the barrel of his handgun; she jumped back and instinctively screamed.

“Jesus Gray, don’t you know you aren’t supposed to sneak up on someone on the firing range?” He slowly lowered his weapon and noticed the fear in her eyes. She was actually frozen in place, and he could tell that he had traumatized her. He took a step forward and reached for her hand, he gently squeezed in the hopes that it would shake her back into the moment. “Gray, I am sorry - when you are out here, and the fear of insurgents is all around, you take no chances when someone sneaks up on you. You could have gotten yourself killed.”

“Your gun wasn’t loaded, you had just emptied your clip which is why I decided to approach you. I just didn’t think you would hear me if I said your name.” The words were shaky, and she could not look him in the eye. “I, um...I am going to go...I….yeah sorry.” For once she was speechless and utterly terrified.

In Carter’s military career, she had fired a weapon only a handful of times. Those were all on the firing range for training and testing. She hated guns, despised them really, but they are obviously a necessity in the military. With her being in a non-combat role, she was able to get by without having a gun, and that was perfectly okay with her. She had never had a gun pointed at her head and even though she knew it was empty; well it was still too much to take. She was walking at a fast pace to get away from Captain Evans so he would not see how shaken she truly was.

As Carter took off, Evans put his sidearm in his holster and ran to catch up with her. She was walking very fast, and he had to reach out and grab her arm to stop her from continuing. “Gray, please stop and talk to me a minute.” As she turned, he could see the fear, mixed with what he expected was an embarrassment in her eyes. “How long had you been standing there if you knew I had unloaded my clip?”

“What? Oh, um...a few minutes. I had gone to your office to find you, and they said you were on the range. I saw that you had reloaded as I started walking up and I just didn’t want to startle you when you had a loaded weapon.”

“I am sorry - it was instinct when I turned around - I swear I didn’t mean to scare the hell out of you.” He released the grip on her arm, “Are you okay?”

“Um...yeah...it just rattled me,” Carter could feel the tears in her eyes, and she willed them not to fall. She was sure he could tell the glassy look in her eyes, and she did not want to seem vulnerable, but she was sure that ship had sailed. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to freak you out either; I just wanted to see if we could talk for a minute. It was nothing urgent.” She tried to turn and get out of his grip completely so she could continue to walk away.

He moved so that he was standing directly in front of her, never fully releasing her arm even though his grip was significantly loosened. He stared into her eyes for a moment, and the gravity of it hit him when a single tear rolled down her cheek. “I think the dust and heat have put something in your eye.” He decided to make light of the situation so that the tough-as-nails persona was not compromised by crying. “How about you walk back to the range with me for a minute so I can gather my things and then we can talk? I promise not to draw down again.” 

Carter began to smile when she noticed the slight tilt of his head and the crooked smile that appeared on his face. It was a mischievous look, and she could tell he was trying to break the serious tension between them and to lighten the fear that he most certainly saw in her face. She nodded her head and fell into step with him as they walked back to the range.

~ * * * ~  
The walk back to the range was quiet and long; she had not realized how far she had gotten before he caught up to her. For someone who tried to maintain a strong facade to the world around her, Carter was not comfortable with how vulnerable she looked at that moment. She had stood up to Evans and challenged him at every opportunity; now he would look at her as a weak woman. 

As they entered the range, Evans picked up his ear protection and the box of ammunition that had been left behind. He walked to the end of the range and collected his target and placed it on the table while he went to lock up the ammunition. Carter could not help but notice that the target had a single hole in it; a cluster of shots that would have provided a fatal chest wound. 

She felt his presence behind her, “Impressive shooting; obviously, you are a skilled marksman.”

“Thanks, I have had a lot of practice.”

“So, how long have you been in the Marines Evans?”

“Chris, my name is Chris - you don’t have to refer to me as Evans all the time.” He glanced over at her and again flashed that million dollar smile. “I’ve been in the Marines for 12 years, joined right out of college. How about you Gray?”

She paused for a moment before answering; she was trying to find her voice. “Carter, that’s my first name – so you don’t have to call me Gray all the time,” she flashed a smile of her own, but she was sure he could tell it was only on her face and had not made its way to her eyes. “I joined right out of college as well; I am in my last year of inactive reserves...so eight years.”

“Carter? Not the first name I expected; you look more like a Jennifer or a Rebecca.” 

“Yeah well the General didn’t think it was possible to have a daughter so only boy names were at the ready. They figured out of their choices, Carter sounded more unisex than the others. Can’t say I like it but it is a hell of a lot better than being named Broderick or Harrison” She tried to quell the bitterness in her voice.

“Oh, sorry I didn’t mean to strike that nerve.” He actually felt guilty for making a crack about her name. “You didn’t want to take the full path into the family business I take it?”

“No, I had no desire to have a career in the military. Honestly, didn’t want to join but there are certain expectations when you are the only child of a respected Brigadier General.”

Chris noticed that the subject of her father was her least favorite. “I can’t imagine how hard it must be to live up to his expectations. I am sure he is proud of the path of your career, though. In all of my calls about your visit, it has been made clear that you are highly respected in your role.”

“Oh, I don’t think so; I believe that it will most likely be a cold day before he will admit that he is proud or respects me or my choices. I told you, I have been a disappointment from day one. A daughter won’t carry forth his name and lineage – all things that are important to him.” She let out a sigh, “Sorry, it is a sore subject. So, being in the service, does it run in your family?”

“No, not at all; my dad is a dentist and mom runs a youth theater, and I grew up to play GI Joe.” He turned to face her, “Guess we both took our own paths to get where we are. So, why don’t we head over to my office and we can have that talk.”

“Look I don’t want to be rude, we are making headway here in speaking to one another. I would really rather not go to your office; I think we need neutral territory. Would you be up for a cup of coffee in the mess tent? I mean if that is not out of line to ask, sir.” Carter put a bit of inflection on the ‘sir’, and Chris noticed. The life was coming back into her eyes and the terror from earlier was beginning to subside.

The two walked together, in perfect step and as close to one another as possible without touching. He noticed that she walked with an air of confidence and with her back straight and shoulders back. Even if she was not active military, she walked as if she was. He figured it was probably ingrained in her from a young age. He imagined she never had to be reminded to sit up straight and not to slouch or slump over. He also found it unnerving that he wondered what she was like as a child; she had an effect on him, and all he could hear in his head was Frank’s voice telling him not to fall in love with her.

Carter got a cup of coffee and parked herself at a table that was secluded from the Marines that were present in the mess tent. She watched as Chris got his own coffee and approached the table. She was beginning to soften to him, and that scared her. She always had a wall around her when she was in the presence of military personnel. She would have successfully evaded him if she had not been so stupid to tap him on the shoulder on the gun range. Now she was vulnerable, and he saw that she can be human and does have feelings.

“Carter, where are you?” He asked as he sat down across from her. She appeared to be a million miles away.

She jumped slightly, “Yeah, sorry, I guess I got caught up in the thoughts in my head.”

“I know this might not be any of my business, and I might be threatening the truce we seem to have at the moment; but I need to ask, why are you so jumpy around guns? I mean it is a tenant of being in the military – is there a story there?”

“The General made me learn how to fire a weapon when I was a child. I never liked the feel of them and never liked the smell after a gun has been fired.” She began staring off into the distance, breaking her eye contact with Chris. “My mom waved a gun at the General when she decided to leave – he tried stopping her and said she would rather kill herself than stay with him and be a mother. So, I just can’t stand to be around them.”

“Wow, ok that is not what I had expected. To be honest, I am not sure what I expected, but it wasn’t that.” Chris kept quiet for a moment; watching the emotions across Carter’s face. He wanted to give her a few minutes before he pushed forward in their conversation. “So, what exactly did you want to talk to me about?”

“I owe you an apology for the stunt with the report. I should have talked to you about it before emailing it out; unfortunately, I let my emotions get the best of me, and it was poor judgment on my part.” She kept her head down and fidgeted with the coffee cup in her hand. 

Chris was surprised; he raised his eyebrows and show the shock on his face, “Well that could not have been easy?” She glanced up and gave him a glaring look. “Carter, I think we can both agree that we were trying to stand our ground, and we each could have handled the situation a little more professionally.”

She scoffed at his words; it was an understatement, to say the least. “Yeah well I am not proposing that either of us compromise who we are or what we stand for. I just think we are both guilty of letting our emotions get in the way.”

“That is fair enough. You want to give me the details of your report and the implications?”

“So you didn’t read it yet? Did you find it on your desk?”

“Yes, I found it after I left your office and you told me it was on my desk. No, I haven’t read it, but I heard from Quantico that it was quite insightful.”

Carter winced when he said the words. “I think you need to modify some of your patrols. Your own intelligence reports indicate that there has been an increase in traffic around the camp. I am afraid your camp might be compromised.”

“Well, with due respect Carter; we continually reach out to the nearby village so they are not afraid of us. We are hoping to get them to feed us Intel as well.”

“I get it, I do Chris…but your own information provides red flags. I suggest an increase in your patrols but also in your perimeter barricades. This area of the country has seen an increase in action and I think that what you have has served you well, but it doesn’t hurt to be more vigilant.” Carter watched his face carefully to see if her words were registering. “I want to be wrong; I want to think your camp is as safe as it can be. You have had very few casualties when you do your missions. Unfortunately, the numbers indicate that your luck will run out.”

“Ok, I will read your report and maybe you can go over what you are analyzing. I am open to what you are saying – I am responsible for the lives here so I can’t completely discount what you have to say.”

Carter finished her coffee and stood up from the table, “Come to see me tomorrow when you have a moment – I will go over everything with you, and you can see where I am heading.” She smiled and nodded her head at Chris and then moved towards the tent exit.


	3. Chapter 3

Chris went to his office after his meeting with Carter; he had not originally intended to back to the office but he wanted to read her report, and it was still on his desk. He picked up the phone and dialed Frank’s number. After three rings the call connected, “Are you busy Frank?”

“Yeah but I will talk to you – how are things on the battle lines with Gray?”

“Well, I confronted her about her report to Quantico before I read it. That argument was intense and then in the afternoon, I drew down on her. So it has been a tad rocky.”

“Drew down on her, please tell me you are using that as a euphemism for sex Chris? You don’t actually mean you had a gun on her face.” 

“No, not a euphemism; I was at the firing range, she tapped me on the shoulder, and I acted instinctively.”

“Jesus Christ and the holy saints! Do you know how much trouble you could be in if she files a report on you? Man, you need to end this feud with her, and you need to do it now!”

“We have talked Frank, and the air is cleared. She understands that walking on to the firing range and sneaking up behind someone is going to end with her getting shot. The only reason I didn’t fire when I turned around is that the clip was empty.”

“So you two kissed and made up?”

“No, we didn’t kiss. Will you get that thought out of your mind? I am not going to kiss her or sleep with her. I will tell you, though, she is damaged and beautiful.”

“See, you have picked up on the two things that are your biggest weakness, beautiful but damaged women! You are going to end up being Captain Save-The-Day when this is all said and done.”

Chris began to laugh, “Captain Save-The-Day, Frank? Ok, that is a new one, but I do like being the hero. But I am not trying to be her hero; I did listen to what she had to say about her report, and I am getting ready to read it. I am going to open myself up the chance that she might have some ideas.”

“Well, that is an improvement over what you were saying the last time we talked. Maybe if you collaborate with her, she will finish up her work and leave sooner, then your problems are solved.”

“Well, I am not sure about collaboration, but I am going to turn on the charm.”

“Good luck with that and keep me posted.”

Chris disconnected the call and propped his boots up on his desk and opened Carter’s report. Two paragraphs in and he realized he had indeed underestimated her. 

~ * ~  
Carter was restless; the confrontation and subsequent conversation with Chris had taken their toll on her. Unfortunately, sleep would not come to her. She began pacing in her barracks and realized it was not helping her at all. The camp was quiet; everyone was turned in except the men on patrol. She decided to head over to her workspace and, at least, try to do something productive. 

She changed into a long sleeve shirt; the heat of the day had given way to cooler temperatures in the evening. She quietly exited her barracks and began making her way across the camp. Walking alone at night didn’t bother her; she knew she should be guarded and in some sense scared, but she never let it consume her. She was just at the door of her work space when she heard what sounded like hushed voices. She looked around carefully and figured it was just her imagination and gave it no further thought.

Carter began working on the stack of reports and maps that were in front of her. She wanted to get through as much of the data as she could; knowing that if she stayed focused on the tasks ahead, she might be able to get out of the camp ahead of schedule. She felt her eyes begin to get heavy but did not willingly give into the sleep that was coming over her.

She was startled awake when the door to her workspace opened forcefully. “What are you doing in here in the middle of the night?” The voice bellowed. Carter rubbed at her eyes and tried to focus on the figure in the doorway. “You should have Marines with you at all times Carter; in case, something goes wrong. As a civilian, you have to have protection with you.”

“First, thanks for waking me up; I shouldn’t have fallen asleep in here. Second, I can take care of myself – it was ok walking over here alone.” She stood up and tried to smooth out her hair and then her clothes. “Third, were you worried about me Chris?” She began to softly laugh at the notion. “Oh, and fourth, what are you doing being out in the middle of the night?”

“I was heading to my barracks and saw the light on in here. I also knew that you had no guards with you since you let them all leave early.” She tilted her head and looked at him quizzically, “Oh, I know everything around her Carter; you told them you had a headache, yet you showed up on the range with me. That is beside the point; you are a civilian and should have protection at all times.”

“Well, you have me covered now! Now that I am awake, I need to work, and you are free to go.”

“Come on it is late; let me walk you back across the base and you can get some rest and be back at this in a few hours.” 

“Where were you that you were going back to your barracks? Were you burning the midnight oil as well?”

“Yeah, I had to get real familiar, real fast with a report that was on my desk. By the way, you did have some interesting insights in your report. I think maybe I was too quick to dismiss your visit.”

“Pardon me while I pick my jaw up off the floor because that almost sounded like a compliment.”

He began to blush and if he didn’t know any better the two of them seem to be flirting, “Yeah, well it was meant to be. I think I had been quick to jump to the conclusion that you were here on some sort of witch hunt and after reading your first report I see that is not the case. So color me wrong - for once.”

Carter let loose with a hearty laugh, “Oh that is rich Evans! But thank you for realizing I am just trying to help. Sometimes you do something over and over, and it is routine, and you think it is fine because nothing has gone wrong. But sometimes you just need someone to confirm that you haven’t missed something.”

“Yeah well you need to sleep and so do I. Let me walk you back to your barracks and we can continue this conversation tomorrow.”

Carter knew he was right, she could barely keep her eyes open, and she needed to give in and try to sleep. The thing was she didn’t want to give in; for some reason, it felt like a defeat to admit he was right. Who said that men were the only ones with fragile egos? “Fine, but no funny business as we walk back to the barracks,” she stated in a mocking tone.

Chris put his hands up, “No funny business – got it!”

As they walked towards her barracks, Carter could swear she heard those voices again. Evidently it must have been in her head because Chris didn’t react at all. He was vigilant in watching the surroundings as they walked but he never mentioned hearing the voices. She could never make out what they were saying; they could have been speaking in Dari or Pashto – languages she did not speak or understand.

As they approached her barracks, the voices stopped, and she turned to Chris. Again, his face did not register that he heard anything. “Thank you for making sure I got here safe. Although, I do think you were overreacting a bit. I will see you in a few hours,” She turned away and entered her tent. There was an uneasy feeling in her stomach, and she did not want to tell him.

Chris walked away and headed right towards the command center on post. He walked in and addressed the team on duty, “Increase the patrol units on our perimeter immediately. Do it without a major announcement and fanfare as I want an element of surprise.”

“Sir? Is something going on?

“I just escorted Ms. Gray back to her barracks from her workspace, and I heard voices in the dark on the backside of the camp. It could be rebels or friendlies – they were speaking in Dari, and their voices were too low for me to make out what they were saying. Find them and make sure there is no immediate threat.” He turned and began to walk out of the command center; after a few steps, he turned back around. “Put a guard on Ms. Gray’s tent. The last thing I need is for something to happen to a civilian in our camp.”

~ * * * ~

Carter woke and realized she never actually rested. She could not get it out of her head that she had heard voices and couldn’t understand why Chris didn’t. Now she was afraid if she mentioned them to him that he would think she was nuts and would lose any trust that she was starting to build. She had to admit that even though they started off on the wrong foot; Chris was not that bad of a guy; he just needed to see what the end game was and that it didn’t include him being removed from his camp. She decided to get her things and head over to the showers – maybe a nice hot shower would clear the fog in her brain.

As she exited the barracks, she noticed there was an armed guard on duty. This was odd as she never had a guard at her door before. “Good Morning,” she offered; the guard didn’t move or respond. As she began to walk, she noticed the guard moved with her. She spun to face him; he had been walking just a few paces behind her. “I can walk to the showers on my own, I don’t need an escort.”

Again, the guard did not respond or react to her comments. She entered the shower and noticed he took a position just outside the door. When she completed her shower and dressed, she walked out and saw the guard who had escorted her there had been replaced with a new man on duty. This was ridiculous; Evans was in for an earful.

She huffed over to his office and walked in without announcing herself. The guard did not enter the building and instead stood just outside the door. “By all means, Carter, come on in,” Chris said without looking up.

“What is with the bodyguard? Are you that upset that I went to my work quarters so late that you have to keep me under constant surveillance?” She paced back and forth in front of his desk while she waited for a response. “I am being treated like a prisoner. I thought we were making headway in being friendly and non-combative, and then you go and pull a stunt like this.” She turned to see that Chris had folded his hands on his desk and was just watching her. “Say something; defend yourself…something for heaven’s sake!”

“Well I was waiting for you to finish; heaven help me if I had interrupted,” He pushed himself away from his desk and walked around to stand in front of Carter. “I do trust you, and we have made headway in being friendly to one another. I do not have a guard with you because I do not trust you; I have a guard with you to keep you safe. I can’t risk something happening to you in this camp and as a civilian, you should have an escort.”

“Oh, so now you are worried about me?”

“Don’t let it go to your head Carter but yes!”

A smile came across her lips as she realized that he was genuine in his response. There was no spite or nasty connotation to his remarks – he was, in all sincerity, being nice. “I guess I am just surprised – I didn’t expect that.”

“Well it is protocol, and if I have an analyst on base to see how we are doing with rules, I find it best to follow them. Can I ask you something?” Carter nodded in response. “When I was walking you back to your barracks did you hear anything out of the ordinary?”

Carter’s eyes grew wide; so she had not been imaging it. “Yes, I thought I heard hushed voices. I actually thought I heard them when I was walking to my workspace last night, but I was not sure. I didn’t want to take the time to look around; at least not without a weapon or something to defend myself just in case.” She put her hands in her pockets and took a few steps away from him and then turned back to face him. “I heard them going to the barracks but when you didn’t react to them; well I thought I was losing my mind.”

“I heard them, I didn’t want to react and startle you in case you didn’t hear them. I increased patrols last night, and that is when I posted a guard at your door. I didn’t know if someone was waiting to attack and I didn’t want to leave you vulnerable. I also didn’t want to alarm you by telling you I had someone on you for protection.”

“I didn’t notice him until this morning. I am actually touched that you were concerned.”

“Don’t be, I would have done it for any civilian who was here.”

The words stung Carter; she knew that he was doing his job in ordering the guard, but she had hoped that some of it were actually out of concern for her. She knew it was ridiculous to even consider. Save for one brief moment yesterday, they had done nothing but fight since she landed at his base. While her brain knew she should not get involved with Evans; her heart was starting to challenge that.

“Right, well I am going to get to work.” Carter walked out of his office and into the bright sun and heat of the day. She decided to ignore the detail and just go about her business. When she got to her office, she did make a request, “Please don’t let anyone in today – I mean it. I want to be completely alone today, no liaison officer and no one from command.” The guard nodded in agreement with her statement and didn’t let anyone in all day.

Late in the afternoon, Evans approached the door, and the guard moved to block his entrance. “Sorry sir, she made it clear, no one was to go in today. She wants to be alone and work.”

“I am your commanding officer and I am telling you to move out of my way, son.”

“Sir, I appreciate that you are my commanding officer, but her instructions were clear.” The guard did not budge.  
Carter could hear that there was an argument going on outside the door; she quietly walked over to listen to the exchange.

“You will move away from this door right now. She is a civilian, and she does not have the authority to give you orders. I, however, do, and I am telling you step to the side or risk a court martial for insubordination. Am I clear?”

The guard swallowed hard, he was not willing to throw his military career away for this woman. He wanted to do what she asked but when the CO commands you to move; well you do it. He gingerly stepped to the side and as Chris reached for the door knob the door flung open.

“Is there a problem out here?”

“Hello Carter, can I come in and talk to you for a minute?”

“No, Captain Evans you cannot.” She crossed her arms and looked at him defiantly.

“Please, Carter; I want to talk to you. It is about your work and your report. And are we back to formal names now?”

“Sorry, I don’t have time right now to talk to you.” She slammed the door and went back to her desk and tried to ignore him. She knew he was still on the other side of the door. He might not be talking, but she knew he had to be there. For that reason alone she was going to stay put for a little longer.

Chris was beside himself; what in the hell happened that she had locked herself away and wouldn’t talk to him. He finally gave up and walked away; deciding that he had to release his frustration and today it would be at the gym. Frankly, he wanted to go to the gun range, but he couldn’t get the image of aiming his weapon at Carter out of his head.

~ * ~  
Carter worked through most of the night; she skipped dinner and frankly had not even given it any thought. When she got in the zone, work is all that she thought of and the world around her disappeared. She hoped the guard on duty had been offered some relief and had been able to eat or, at least, get something to drink. For a moment or two, she felt guilt but shook it from her mind and kept pressing through. 

Her laptop began buzzing, and she realized she was getting a Skype call. She reached for the laptop and answered the call; it was her friend Roxie. “Hey, you look a little tired. Are you not getting any rest?”

“Roxie, I am in a war zone you know – not like I am on a vacation or anything.”

“Well I know, but you don't see action - the base isn’t seeing action, right? I mean the teams go out on patrol, but you don't see action in the spot where you are.”

“True, but there is a lot of commotion around and activity – it isn’t like this place is dead quiet. Actually, if it were that would be scary.”

“I heard that your first report is in and that several of the top brass are surprised with your findings and intrigued with your work.”

“Great, well I have more to give them. Will probably have my next report done early this week, and I think I might find a way to come on home. I don’t think I can do much more around here.”

“How is the hot Captain Evans? Is he still difficult to get along with?”

“Roxie so much has happened since I talked to you last. I don’t want to go into all of it right now but suffice to say that he is indeed still difficult to get along with.” Carter ran her fingers through her hair; her international sign for being nervous and rattled. “I thought we had a breakthrough, I really did. But this morning he made a comment when I was in his office, and it seemed to have negated any ground I thought I had gained. He is insufferable!” She stood from her chair and began pacing around the laptop, still within view of the webcam. 

“How much sleep have you had in the last few days?” 

“Why are you asking?”

“Carter, you are pacing and running your fingers through your hair. Hell, you look horrible, and I do realize that your webcam is not necessarily the greatest. You said you don’t want to talk about it, but you look bloody awful.”

“I have had maybe 5 hours sleep - I haven’t eaten today, and I am barely functioning. I am exhausted, and my emotions are my fuel to keep me going. Don’t judge me, Roxie – not over Skype. Judge me when I get back and I tell you all of the stories.”

“Okay, I will drop it for now, but you need to go and get some sleep. Stop torturing yourself because you know that working on little sleep will impact the quality of your work. “

Carter smiled, gave her best wishes to Roxie and disconnected the call. She was right, she needed to go to sleep and get the thoughts of Chris out of her head. How had she gone from disliking the man to letting his comments eat at her in such a short time? She closed her laptop and headed for the door. She opened the door to leave her space and noticed that the guard on duty was none other than Captain Evans.

“I was wondering how long I was going to have to stand here; I was starting to worry about you.”

“How long have you been out here?” Carter stammered; she was shocked and a bit terrified. She had no idea if her conversation could be heard through the door. It wasn’t like these buildings at the camp were sturdy and soundproof. 

“About an hour, I would guess. I was walking by after chow and asked the guard if you had come out at all and he said you hadn’t. I figured if you had been squirreled away all day you would need to get out sooner or later. I was hoping it would be sooner.”

“Well, here I am. I am going to my barracks and getting some sleep; this brings an end to our conversation for the day.” She pulled her shoulders back and started walking for her barracks. She could feel that he had fallen in step with her and was following her. He didn’t say a word the entire time they walked.

When they reached the barracks, he jumped out in front of her to block her entrance. “Why are you avoiding me? And why am I insufferable?”

She froze; it meant he had heard what she had said. She couldn’t speak; no words could be formed or come out. After a few moments, she tried her voice, “I am not avoiding you; I have been working, and I found that being locked in the room alone gave me an opportunity to fly through things and to focus.” She could not look him in the face; her resolve would break if she did. “You should not have been eavesdropping; it is rude and unprofessional.”

“I didn’t hear your entire conversation, but that portion was rather loud and emphatic.” Chris ran his fingers through his hair; the messed up look was, even more attractive. “Carter I thought we had moved past this. I don’t want to fight with you – I really don’t. Please tell me what I did wrong to make us lose ground on that.”

“Nothing Chris, I am just tired that is all. I guess things are bothering me that do not actually exist. I think I just need some sleep to get my brain back to functioning properly, and I will be all right.” She tried to smile and hoped that he was buying what she was selling. It appeared to work as he relaxed and moved away from the door. She stepped forward and opened the door; stopping to look over her shoulder for a moment. “Good night Chris.”

“I still think you are hiding something from me Carter, and we will continue this conversation. Good night.” He turned and walked away, and she gently closed the door behind her. She was actually feeling guilty and considered for a moment to go after him. Instead, she kicked off her shoes and crawled into her bed.


	4. Chapter 4

Once again the sleep was restless; her brain would not shut off regarding Chris and his exchanges with her. She liked it better when she was assertive and kept her distance. Now that she had softened showed she had emotions and was human. Well, now it was harder to ignore him. The sad thing was that she had researched him before she came to the camp. She knew he was well respected and well-liked by the members of his team. She knew that he had graduated with high marks from Officer Training School and could have had his pick of assignments. He wanted to be on the front lines; he wanted to fight for his country and protect and honor America. He was a regular star spangled man! She also knew that he was hard-headed and tough. He displayed that the day they met.

But her hormones were getting in the way. He was handsome and based on his reaction when she fled like an idiot; he has compassion and feelings. He had softened in her eyes and that made him real and not just a Captain with an attitude. She felt like she had to go to him and make up some lame ass excuse as to her behavior and just leave. She was not a quitter but he was making her question her resolve, and that was dangerous.

Her feet hit the floor, and she began pulling clean clothes out of her foot locker. She was going to head over to get a shower and freshen up and try to figure out her next step. As she opened the door to her barracks, she felt like things were a little ‘off.’ The camp was unusually quiet. Most mornings you could hear some sort of commotion – men working out, guns at the range, trucks and convoys on the move. But today it was silent. She went back to her barracks and grabbed a few things before heading back out. 

She exited the showers and walked back to her barracks to drop off her stuff. She finally heard voices; not like the ones from the other night, these were American voices. She cautiously walked toward them and realized everyone was in the mess tent. She stood outside and listened; it was Evans talking to everyone from the base. The longer she stood there, the more she realized that he was talking about her – more to point, he was talking about her work and what she had already found out. He was instructing everyone to be extra vigilant and to take her and her work seriously as it could save lives. She didn’t know how to react, and she felt bad for listening in but didn’t think it would be appropriate to walk in on him either.

She heard Chris dismiss the group, and she tried to step far enough away so that it appeared as if she was just walking up. She saw him walk out of the tent, and he abruptly stopped when he saw her, “Ms. Gray, good morning,” he then walked right past her without awaiting her response.

“Captain, can we talk for a minute?”

He glanced back over his shoulder at her, “No, sorry not right now.”

“Childish move don’t you think?” She said in response; her mouth working before thinking. 

He stopped and quickly walked back to her, getting right into her face, “I am dealing with a credible threat at the moment, and my comment is not some tit-for-tat little game with you. I have a job to do, and babysitting and playing games with you are not part of it. You want to talk to me, make an appointment and until then we have nothing to say.”

Carter swallowed hard, the fire in his eyes that she found erotic just a few days ago now scared her. He said he was dealing with a credible threat, and that meant the voices from the other night were something to be alarmed about. She noticed that many of the troops were intently watching the heated confrontation. She was ready to respond to him when he turned and began walking toward his office. Carter straightened up, walked into the mess tent for a cup of coffee to calm her nerves and headed in the direction of her office.

The only person who came into her area was Corporal Miller. “Good Morning ma’am; how are you today?” 

“I am okay Miller; I understand you had a briefing today. Anything I should be concerned with?”

“Since your arrival a few days ago,” he paused, not sure how to continue, “We have had an increase in patrols and have found evidence that an attack on our base might be imminent. Captain Evans thinks that some of the information you have been working on is valuable and is asking us to implement a few things to stave off any surprises.”

“He is using my information as the credible threat?”

“Not just your information ma’am but also the details from our patrols that show there is an increase in activity in the area. He does not want us to take any chances.”

Carter let it sink in; there was value in what she was doing. While she always felt there was something to be worried about in the data – she never really believed her information would have that much of an impact. Sure she liked to talk big about how smart she was; but in reality, nothing she had ever uncovered had been to this scale. She thanked Miller for the information and let him know he could leave if he had important work to do. She was just going to review the latest intelligence data along with some documentation and she promised to stay put.

She had been working for an hour or so when she heard a noise; it sounded like bodies bumping into the metal backing of her workspace. The noise made her think there were three or four men. She softly pushed her chair away from the desk and hoped to make minimal noises herself. She crept to the back of the office area and again heard voices. She still could not make out what they were saying, but the discussion was in quick bursts of words; they were not nearly as quiet as they had been the other night. While she strained to hear them and to see if any words were spoken in English, she heard a burst of gunshots.

Carter moved back to her desk drawer and retrieved the handgun she had tucked away. For all she had proclaimed about hating guns, she was not going to risk being a sitting duck or a victim if she could help it. The gunfire continued outside so she approached the door to her office and slowly opened it to see if she could have eyes on what was happening. She was cut off from everyone in her space – she had no direct communication with Chris or anyone else on base. She wasn’t exactly sure how she could help, but her account might come in handy later.

As she gazed into the courtyard, she saw several bodies on the ground. The dark sand around them indicated that they were bleeding heavily. The crackle of the gunfire had been muted when the door was closed, now she heard the shots pierce the air and could almost feel them whiz by. The sounds of the shots were now ringing in her ears; replacing the pulsing of her blood that had echoed only moments before.

While she was trying to take in the landscape and prepare for the next assault, she noticed that Chris was running toward her office. He had ducked once behind a jeep to evade shots, but he was up again and moving toward her open door; she flung the door open so that he could get inside.

“Get back inside Carter! What the hell were you doing opening the door?” He growled as he stepped in and slammed the door behind him.

“Trying to see what was going on. It was a good thing I opened the door so you weren’t standing out there exposed, she growled back.

“Yeah, thanks for that even though you should have kept the door shut. Are you okay in here?” He began looking around the room to access the area and to see if there had been any breaches that he needed to be concerned about.

“What is going on Chris? I heard the voices again and then I heard gunfire. I had no clue what was happening, and I wanted to see if I could help.” She stepped closer to him and noticed that he was bleeding slightly from his head. She reached up and wiped the blood away with her hand. “You’re hurt; let me see if I have anything in here to clean you up,” she walked away and started rifling through her things. “What were you doing running over here? You could have gotten yourself shot you know!”

He didn’t respond to her; instead, he just watched as she desperately looked for something to wipe the blood off of his head. Funny, he didn’t even realize he was bleeding. He had run out of his office when he heard the gunfire start. He ran into an insurgent and was able to subdue him before he was able to attack, or worse, detonate any explosives. The guy hit him in the head with the butt of a gun; he saw stars for a minute but was able to still able to subdue the man with a shot to the head. Chris hated the idea of shooting the man but when it came to life or death; well there was no choice.

After waiting a few moments to answer, he finally found his voice. “I am fine Carter, this is nothing more than a scratch, and I’ll be okay. And why did I run over here? Isn’t it obvious?”

“You have a death wish?” She said with a dry chuckle. 

“I had to make sure you were okay. I didn’t know how close they were to you and if anyone had gotten in here.”

She gazed at him for a moment trying to determine if he was sincere and sweet or if he was only thinking about his duty as the commanding officer at this camp. She did not want to set her heart up for disappointment so she went with his call of duty. “Well, I am okay, and maybe you should be out there with your men. I will hunker down and stay out of the firefight.”

“I am not leaving you in here by yourself.”

“I’m a Marine, remember? I can handle myself if the fight comes to me. Since I am not equipped with any tactical gear, I won’t go out into the fight, but I can take care of myself.”

“Yeah, I remember, you are a Marine that doesn’t like guns. Quit arguing with me and let me protect you.”

“Look, I know you have your concerns over civilians being hurt on your base but I will be all right.” She was actually terrified, but she did not want him to know that. She really wanted him to stay with her, but that is not something she was willing to admit. 

“It is not just because you are a civilian Carter.”

“Oh yeah, I forgot – I am a civilian and a General’s daughter so you have to keep me safe.” The disdain in her voice was quite evident.

“This has nothing to do with the General. You are so busy keeping your walls up that you can’t see that someone might actually care about you.” He took a few steps forward so that he was standing directly in front of her. He put his fingers under her chin to raise her gaze to his. He leaned forward and softly kissed her lips; lingering before releasing and looking into her eyes. “Let me protect you; tear your walls down and let me in.”

~ * * * ~

Carter had not anticipated the kiss. She wasn’t going to argue with him either; she was keeping walls up, and it all had to do with those damn comments from the day before. “Look, you need to quit worrying about me, and you need to do your job. I am not saying that to be hateful Chris, but you have a base with men under your command. How will it look that they were defending the camp, and you were hiding with the analyst that Quantico sent over? I promise I will be just fine. Don’t risk your command on me.”

He smiled; acknowledging that she was right but hating every minute of it. Although he was disappointed that she did not make a reference to the kiss. Maybe it was the wrong move to make; now he had shown his cards, and it might bite him later. He moved away from Carter and walked back toward the door, “When I walk out of here, barricade yourself in and don’t come out until I come and get you.”

Carter had a lump in her throat as he opened the door and walked back outside. She did notice, however, that the constant gunfire had stopped. She just prayed that he was able to be safe; he did have a big gun with him, but she had no idea what he was going to be facing. Soon after he left she heard an explosion and several sporadic shots; then everything fell silent again. It was driving her crazy not being able to know what was going on and if the threat was over and if he Chris was alright. When 10 minutes passed with no shots fired, Carter decided to open the door and look outside.

The scene was entirely different than when she looked out the door the first time. Thick black smoke was billowing from the other side of the base. The air smelled of burning rubber and oil; luckily there was no evidence of bodies blown apart or burning flesh. Most likely the explosion she heard came from the motor pool and a Humvee or transport vehicle was the casualty of the blast. Several of the bodies that had been in the courtyard were now gone; all that remained were the dark pools of blood that had soaked into the sand. There was no gunfire, and she could hear no voices; the silence was eerie. 

She saw no signs of Chris; she glanced in the direction of his office and noticed that the door to the building that housed his office was open and the walls riddled with bullets. That lump in her throat was starting to get bigger. She willed herself to leave her workspace and head in the direction of his office. She glanced around again and did not see anyone so she moved forward. She ran directly across the pathway from her office and took stock of the landscape from that side of the street. 

It was crazy to think this way but to run in angled patterns back and forth through the camp to Chris’s office would be the best bet. While it would make her predictable if anyone were watching; it would also provide an opportunity to scope out the situation with better vantage points each time. She checked to see if she saw anyone and when the coast was clear she ran directly to the command center; she was running on pure adrenaline, and there was no time to be scared.

She entered the command center tent and realized the place was empty. It appeared as if everyone made it out; she saw drops of blood so she knew someone was hit. She sat down in front of the computer and noticed that a message had been sent that they were under attack. The message went out more than fifteen minutes ago; so why weren’t the reinforcements there? She began typing away and realized the message had not gone through the second protocol which required authentication – no one received the message. She fumbled around and found a satellite phone – she wasn’t sure if it worked but she would take it anyway. She would not try using it until she had Chris with her and knew that he was safe. 

She rifled through some items on the desk and realized what had happened. The insurgents had attacked when most of the troops were out on patrol. It meant that the camp was vulnerable and operating with a significantly reduced staff. They had to have been scoping the camp out for some time to know the routine and when it would be best to attack. It just didn’t make sense, though; what was so important on this base that they wanted to attack and not just blow it up? Insurgents were usually suicide bombers – this type of attack was odd, and something didn’t set right. There was no time to analyze that situation; she needed to move and to find Chris. 

She carefully exited the command center, checked around for active shooters or traps and then darted across the pathway toward his office. The door was still on its hinges, but it was bullet riddled, and the glass was missing. She was able to position herself so that she could be partially hidden but also have a vantage point to look directly into the office. One of the first things she noticed was that the inner door for his office was blown open. Carter quickly took stock of the situation and found Chris on the ground; propped up against the wall. He was still bleeding from the place on his head, and it appeared he had been beaten; his face was swollen. She also noticed that his pant leg was bloodied; it seemed to be a leg wound. Depending on the location of the bullet, he could bleed out and die. She had no idea how long ago he had been shot or how much time he might have left. He was currently alive; she could see his chest moving from his breathing; she offered a quick prayer and began plotting her next move.

A man was walking around the room with his gun trained on Chris. He was speaking in broken English and from she could make out, he wanted to know where the target was, and he wanted to know how to get the weapons cache that was on the base. Evidently they had been looking for it and could not find it; we must be good at hiding that stuff. The man kept raising his voice and yelling at Chris, but he refused to answer any questions. 

The man told Chris he would hold him hostage and get what he wanted from him when the troops returned. Chris offered that the returning troops would not negotiate for his release and would instead take this man down on sight. The man was insistent that he get what he wanted, and Chris could not stop him; he was right, Chris was in no shape to fight back. Carter watched for a few minutes to gauge the man’s movements and to determine if he had a vest or a kill switch in his hands.

Carter again said a prayer when she realized he had no vest or kill switch, he only had a gun and what looked like a belt with additional ammunition. She took the handgun that she had been holding in her hand and raised it gently. She had the man in the crosshairs and with a single shot took him down; perfect shot to the back of the head. Chris jumped when he heard the shot; it was definitely not something he expected. 

Carter moved cautiously into the office; wanting to make sure the man did not have an accomplice in the room with him. When she realized he really was alone, she approached Chris. “Can you stand?” She noticed he had a leg wound and had lost lots of blood.

“What just happened?”

“You’re safe but you are shot, and you need medical attention. Can you stand?”

“Yeah, I think so – help me up.” Carter reached down and helped get Chris into a standing position. It was evident by the grimace on his face that there was lots of pain. “It hurts like hell, but I can drag the leg. Where is everyone?”

“I have no idea – the camp has nothing but dead insurgents and no sign of the rest of your team.”

“Almost everyone was out today on patrol – we had maybe 40 guys here, but that might not be right. If the insurgents are all dead, then my guys are around somewhere.”

Carter began leading him toward a chair in the corner of the office. “Here sit down for a minute; it will be easier to get you up from this chair than it was the floor.” She carefully sat him down and then began to fiddle with the satellite phone. She heard a crackle and ring then the phone connected, “This is Freedom Base One we have been attacked by insurgents. Repeat, we have been attacked, and there are casualties. Need evacuation for Captain Evans and support troops immediately.”

“Roger Freedom Base One, support troops have been dispatched, and medical helicopters are on their way; ETA is three minutes.”

“Roger that,” she disconnected the call and looked over at Chris, who wore a distinct look of shock on his face. “Come on, let’s get you up and move towards the landing spot for the choppers. You need medical attention right away, and I don’t think they can do that here. Who am I kidding? I am not even sure you have any doctors left.” 

Chris put his arms around Carter’s neck, and she began to pull him up. They began the agonizing walk to the door to get out of the office. Chris had to drag the injured leg, and a snail’s pace was all they could muster. They were able to get to the landing zone just moments before the choppers landed. The medics put Chris on the helicopter and took off before Carter could ask any questions or give any details. She stepped back and watched the helicopter take off and noticed that the backup troops were driving in, and the bunkered soldiers were emerging. There were quite a few injuries and, as she had expected, few doctors. Luckily there were medics with the incoming group, and they were helping to get the base put back together.

Carter began walking back to her workspace when Corporal Miller approached with a satellite phone. He had taken a hit or two and was bruised and bandaged; she was happy to see that he had survived. She put the phone to her ear and answered a few times with “Yes, Sir!” and then disconnected the call and gave the phone back.

“Is there a problem ma’am?” Corporal Miller asked; the look on Carter’s face scared him.

“No, it’s fine Miller; word of the assault has made its way to Quantico, and I have been recalled. They want me out of the zone. They are sending a chopper for me in two hours.”

With those words, she walked off and entered her office space to begin piling maps and records into her bag. She had just enough time to get her things from the office and from her barracks. The chopper landed and her gear was tossed onboard; she climbed in and buckled in and off she went.


	5. Chapter 5

The flight back to Kandahar was quiet. Carter had a lot of questions, but she knew that the chopper pilots would not have any of the details she wanted. The helicopter touched down, and she was met by Major Brent Barrington; she knew that he could give her answers.

She saluted and fell into step as they walked towards a waiting car. “Major, can you provide any details regarding the situation that I just went through at the camp? How is Captain Evans? Where was he taken for treatment?”

“You were able to survive an insurgent attack from 10 armed rebels who stormed the base. There were 3 casualties on our side and 7 Marines were injured; all 10 of the rebels were neutralized and the threat removed. The base is being fortified, and additional troops are being assigned to duty on the perimeter. You are lucky to be alive, and Captain Evans was taken to a military hospital, but his condition is unknown at this time. Quantico would like for us to get you on transport back to the US as soon as possible.”

“Why would they recall me when I have apparently identified an area of concern and can take the necessary steps to resolve it? My work is not finished.” Carter was a little indignant; she should be thrilled to go back to the States versus fighting to stay.

“You are a liability ma’am, and that is all I am at liberty to say. I will take you to the hotel where you can shower and get some rest. We will try to get you on transport the day after tomorrow.”

Carter knew better than to argue with the Major. She did want to know what he meant about her being a liability. How could she be a problem when she was supposed to be part of the solution? She let her brain bounce these questions around as the car weaved through the streets to deliver her at the hotel the military was using. 

After getting to her room, Carter decided that a hot shower would go a long way in helping to calm her nerves and to loosen her tense muscles. She stood under the stream of hot water; a luxury she had truly missed during her time at the outpost. She let the water run over her body and she realized she had scrapes and scratches that she didn’t remember getting; each one stinging as the water hit them. After a rather lengthy shower, she dressed for bed and crawled under the freshly pressed sheets. The hotel wasn’t 5-star, but it was better than a thin mattress on a cot. 

~ *~  
Carter woke the next morning; she had a restless night and could not turn off her brain. She kept replaying the argument with Chris and the shot that saved his life. She had extreme guilt over both actions and wrestled with that meant for her. She put her feet on the floor and began to mentally prep for her day. The high priority on her to-do list was to find out where Chris was and how he was doing. She showered, dressed and left her hotel room in the hopes of finding answers. 

She went to the military command office and found Major Barrington; she moved with purpose across the room to confront him. He did not look surprised to see her walking toward him. “Good morning Gray, I guess you want to talk?”

“Good morning Major; yes, I do want to talk, can you spare a few moments?” She knew that it would be better to finesse this conversation versus bully her way through it – fragile egos and all. “I can’t help but think that you know a little more than you led on last night about my immediate extrication. Why am I a liability?

“Carter you are not a stupid woman so quit acting like one. And stop asking questions when you know that you will not get an answer you will like.”

Her blood ran cold, and her head snapped at the sound of his voice. “I didn’t expect you to be here.”

“You don’t think a father would just sit at home if he knows he can be there to help do you?”   
With those words, Major Barrington bowed out of the room quietly. “I didn’t know you had come over to Afghanistan; guessing you had lost my number before you left.”

“I didn’t think it would matter; after all, I wasn’t being deployed to fight, and you have made it clear in previous conversations that you don’t put much stock in my work.”

“Well you were a liability being in the field – you are a woman and the daughter of a prominent military official. Do you not think that it would make you a target?”

“The insurgents were not after me, they were after weapons. I am capable of doing my job and remember there are thousands of female Marines and they are not liabilities when they are in the heat of battle.” She began heading for the door; having an argument with him did no good and would ruin her mood for days.

“You really are naïve Cater.” His baritone voice boomed through the small room. He walked through the doorway toward the large picture windows; glancing at his daughter as he walked by. “I hear you saved the life of Captain Evans. Glad to see that you still have a steady shot.”

“Yeah, well all I am thinking about right now is finding him and seeing if he is okay.”

“Don’t fight me on this Carter; despite what you might think of me, I am your father, and I care for you. I was not happy when I found out they sent you over here. I believe they did it because they wanted you to make an ass of yourself.” He looked her over; the magnitude of what happened was evident on her face. She was drawn and pale, and he was not confident that she would remain upright for much longer. “You proved your case and damn near got yourself killed; you’ve earned respect from the brass if that is what you were hoping for. Come back home and find a career that makes you happy versus trying to prove to me that you are capable.”

She paused, it certainly sounded as if he was giving her a compliment. A backhanded compliment but a compliment indeed; and it seemed like he had a real concern in his voice. She turned to look at him, “General, I do my job to the best of my ability like I have always been told to do. I followed orders and yesterday I saved someone’s life. I will go home; but only after I see Captain Evans and talk to him. He is what I care about most right now.”

General Gray nodded; he could see that she was genuinely concerned for him, and he was amazed at her singular focus to get to him. He took a few steps forward and held out a piece of paper, “Take it, Carter, it is the hospital information on where you can find Captain Evans.”

She stepped forward and took the paper from his hands and glanced at the information. He was at the military hospital in Kandahar; just two blocks from where she was currently standing. She gave a brief nod of acknowledgment to her father and then exited the room. She walked at a fast clip to the hospital, passed through security and bounded the steps to the 3rd floor. She exited into the hallway and slowed her walk to find his room.

Carter stood at the door for a few minutes before going in; she could not understand why she was so nervous. She slowly pushed the door open and walked in; he was asleep. She could not take her eyes off of his face; he had scrapes on his forehead and on the side of his face near his eyes. However, it was the dark purple bruising on his eyelid, the side of his nose and under his eye that scared her the most. He had taken a tremendous hit to the face, and she began to fear that his eyesight could be damaged. It took a minute for her to realize that his right leg was heavily bandaged and was not under the blanket.

~ * * * ~  
“Hey, quit staring at my legs!” His voice was soft, and it cracked ever so slightly. Carter turned to look at him, and he smiled. “Didn’t I tell you to stay barricaded in your space until I came back to you?”

“Yeah, but I don’t listen to orders very well; it’s why I am no longer in the military.” She tried to force a smile, but it was hard. Carter did not like seeing him in this condition; oh, she was happy he was alive, but it caused her pain to see him hurt.

“Well, I am glad you didn’t listen to me because if you had, I might not be here right now.” Chris tried to sit up on the bed; he grimaced as he pulled himself up farther on the bed. He also tried to slide over just a little and patted the bed to offer Carter a place to sit. 

She sat down on the bed, trying to sit in just the right way to be able to look at him but not touch him and cause any additional discomfort. “So, what have the doctor’s said?”

“I have a concussion from the hits to the head and my vision is blurry. They said that will improve in a few days. I had a pretty severe wound to the leg and lost a significant amount of blood. Between the damage from the bullet, the blood loss, and my weight on it to get to the chopper – they said it will take quite a while to heal, and I will have to go through rehab.”

Carter hung her head, it pained her to hear of his injuries and to know that she made him walk on it, and it increased the damage. She pulled at the edge of his blanket and began to fidget with it.

“Carter, hey it is okay. I am alive, and that is the important thing. How about you? Are you alright? Are you hurt or anything?”

“I’m okay, no injuries. A little ringing in my ears from the guns and the choppers but that is all.” She could not look up and make eye contact with Chris.

“Did you sleep last night?”

“Yeah, I slept – I think all the adrenaline that I had earlier in the day wore off and I crashed hard. Either that or someone slipped me something when I was being debriefed and taken to the hotel.”

“Carter, look at me,” Chris said as he grabbed her hand to keep her from playing with the blanket. “Talk to me.”

“I don’t know what to say. I feel like I am responsible for what happened to you. You were with me, and you were safe, and I made you go back out there. I kept telling you I could take care of myself.” She took a deep breath, “If you had just stayed in there with me you wouldn’t be in this hospital.”

“Wow, so you feel guilty that I am here? Carter, I would have left you in your office either way. As the CO of that base, I could not hide and let my men fight on their own. That is not who a leader is and deep down you know that.” He sat forward so that he was nose to nose with her. “You saved my life Carter, and that is what you have to keep in mind. Not guilt that I was out there but knowing that if you had not come to find me that I would be dead.”

“I was terrified in that room by myself, and I am not proud to admit that. I know I am a poor excuse for a Marine; I go through training and get a title, and I am scared when I am faced with a combat situation.”

“You are an excellent Marine; anyone would feel the same way when faced with their first combat situation. You weren’t trained for combat Carter. Just because you are a Marine doesn’t mean you are combat ready.” Chris again moved on the bed so that he created a space for her. “Come here and lay down next to me for a minute.”

Carter did as he asked, placing herself beside him and putting her head on his chest. He wrapped his arm around her and held her. “You know I think you are the one who is truly insufferable, and I honestly wouldn’t want it any other way. I owe you my life, Carter Gray.”

“I still think you listened to my entire conversation the other day.”

“You mean when you told Roxie that you are exhausted, and you want to hurry and go home? You mean that conversation?” Chris began to chuckle, “Okay, so I heard a little more than I led on.” He leaned over and kissed her temple, “I like that you aren’t badass all the time; I like the vulnerable and emotional side of you as well. I could really stand to be around you more.”

Carter didn’t respond, and Chris realized she had fallen asleep. It was if her admitting that she was scared took a weight off of her shoulders, and she could relax. Chris pulled her in as tight as he could, put his head on hers and drifted off to sleep.

~ * ~  
Carter’s eyes flew open, and she was disoriented. She had no idea where she was or what time it was. She looked down and realized she was in bed with Chris in the hospital. How long had she been asleep? What in the world happened that had allowed her to sleep? Her brain was foggy, and the only thing she knew for sure was that she was comfortable. Her head on his chest, her arm around him; it was heaven. He was as solid as she had expected he would be and for her, it felt natural to be wrapped up with him. Chris had his arm over hers and appeared to be just as content as she was. 

While she was enjoying the feeling of being wrapped in his arms, she could not help but think that she needed to get out of the bed. The problem was how do you get up and not disturb him? She began to inch away from him when she felt his grip tighten. “I am not letting you leave just yet; I am rather enjoying this at the moment.”

Carter felt her face begin to flush; he had caught her. “I just needed to the use the ladies room,” she offered.

“Somehow I don’t believe that,” Chris said. He released his grip and allowed her to get up. He did not want to be accused of holding her against her will. 

She stood next to the bed and seemed unsure of herself or what to do next. She scanned the room and looked at the clock to see what time it was. “Wow, how long did I sleep? I need to head back to the hotel before the General sends out a search party.”

“The General is here, in Afghanistan?” 

“Yeah, I was in the office of Major Bennington this morning trying to get answers about your condition and why I was recalled. The General walked in on that conversation and told me I was really naïve. I honestly don’t know what that was all about.”

“I do; don’t be mad at me Carter but I am thankful they recalled you. I don’t want you out there any longer it is not safe.”

“What do you mean you know what this is about? Enlighten me, Chris, please.”

“The insurgents that attacked, they wanted our weapons stockpile. We have the cache of weapons for the troops in this district. We have the bunkers for it, and we will distribute as needed – we are more or less the supercenter for weapons distribution. I know you know that – it is part of the reports and manifests that you have been reviewing.” Carter nodded in agreement with what he had said. “They had a target that they were after besides the weapons – you Carter, they wanted you.”

Her eyes grew wide, “Me? What are you talking about? I think the drugs they have you on are making you loopy.”

“Think about it Carter – you are the daughter of Brigadier General, who has been on TV voicing his opinion on this war and the insurgents. He has made his stance well known and his only child, a woman no less, is in the area of military operations. You are a high-value target for hostage taking, and you know that never ends well.”

Chris had a point, it was something she had never truly considered, and the gravity of the situation was settling in. She made a dash for the bathroom where she retched; she could barely stand, and she felt as if the room was spinning out of control.

To his credit, Chris did not yell at her. He knew this was hard for her to handle and she needed to take this all in and accept it at her pace. He was concerned for her, but he knew better than to do anything at this moment. He waited.

Carter composed herself, rinsed her mouth and walked back into the room. “So, when the man was beating you and telling you he wanted the target you were protecting me?”

“Yes, and I would do it again.”

She walked to the side of the bed, “He was going to kill you, and you were going to let him to protect me? Why in the hell would you do that?”

Chris had taken seconds before he answered, “First of all, it is my job. I am a Captain in the Marine Corps who is responsible for the people on my base. And that includes every civilian; it is my job to make sure you are safe.” As the words left his mouth, he noticed the light was fading from Carter’s eyes. “And second, well I would do whatever I had to do to keep you safe Carter.” She didn’t respond she just kept staring at him. “I will admit that when I met you, I was not a fan of yours. Frankly, I am pretty sure you were not a fan of mine either. But I did admire your tenacity and the fact that you didn’t just conform to what everyone would expect from you. I respect you Carter and, dare I say it, fallen for you.”

Carter did not respond. Instead, she leaned against the wall as if it was keeping her from collapsing. She was trying to reconcile what Chris had just said. She could have sworn he said he had fallen for her; that just wasn’t possible. Without saying a word she turned and left his hospital room.


	6. Chapter 6

Chris was left wondering what in the hell had happened when he heard a knock on the door. He gave an acknowledgment for the person to enter; it was not who he had anticipated. The General was a tall man, almost 6’7” tall and he cut quite a pose even if he wasn’t in uniform. Unlike his daughter, General Gray had a sharp jawline that looked like it could cut through glass. His eyes were dark and brooding where Carter’s are a beautiful green, and they dance in the light, and they are full of passion when she gets worked up. He tried to sit up as straight as he could and saluted, “Good afternoon General Gray, it is a pleasure to meet you.” The General walked towards the bed and returned the salute.

“Captain Evans, it is a pleasure to meet you as well. I wanted to come by and check on your recovery personally. I know that Carter has been quite worried about you.” He glanced around the room, “I thought she might still be here since she has not returned to the office or the hotel.”

“Actually, she just left, sir. She left rather abruptly so I am not sure what direction she was headed in.”

“Well, I am glad to know that she was, at least, able to speak with you and see that you are recovering. Have they indicated a timeline for your recovery?”

Chris quietly answered, “I won’t be able to go back to my command post; I will have quite a bit of rehab ahead of me. I will be released to go back to the States for that in the next day or so. I am going to the Naval Hospital in Camp Lejeune.” 

General Gray shook his head, “I am sorry that returning to command will be delayed but the staff at Camp Lejeune will take good care of you. Best of luck to you in your recovery, son.” 

The General began to leave the room when Chris decided to stop him, “Sir, I am sorry but can I ask you a question? I know I am going to be out of line, but I can’t let this opportunity pass.” The General turned and walked back toward him, “Sir, are you proud of your daughter?”

The look of shock registered on Gray’s face immediately, “Is that really any of your concern Captain?”

“Sir, I think Carter has been trying her entire life to make you proud. She lets on that she is tough and can handle herself – I don’t question her toughness at all, but she is going to get herself killed, and I can’t let the opportunity go by without saying something.” Chris looked away, he knew it was a possibility that he had angered the General and didn’t really want to see it displayed in front of him.

“Carter is a tough girl; not having a mother was hard enough but having me as her father was even worse. She is smart and has more potential than I think she even realizes, and I am not just referencing her time in the Corps. I take it that you see that as well? Tell me Captain; are you in love with her? Is that what this is all about?”

“I think I am, sir. It was not my intention in any way but the fact that she is strong and vulnerable at the same time is what draws me to her. She isn’t worried about her appearance or if anyone likes her – she wants her work to stand for something. To me, that is attractive and is someone worth falling in love with.”

“She would be lucky to have you. Carter is a lot of things and damaged is one of them. Make sure you keep your eyes wide open.” General Gray began to exit the room and before crossing the threshold, stopped, “To answer your question, yes I am proud of my daughter; I would be an idiot not to be.”

Chris took a deep breath; he knew that he was risking everything by even questioning the man. As he was settling back into the bed, his phone rang on the bedside table.

“I heard about the ambush; how are you doing?”

“I’m okay Frank; battered and bruised with a hole in my leg but doing great! Give me the details, they aren’t telling me shit around here. How many men did I lose?”

“You lost 3, but all of the insurgents were taken down. They have brought in a new commanding officer, and they are cleaning up the base and getting it operational. I heard she saved you.”

“She did shot the guy who was going to torture me a little more in the hopes of me handing her over. She told me they recalled her Frank – said she was being fired.”

“She isn’t being fired, but she is being recalled. There is a concern now that she could be taken hostage if she was out in the field again. Her dad has not made any friends on the rebel side since he has been so outspoken against their tactics. It makes her the perfect target to attempt to inflict pain on him.”

“Oh if they only knew that Carter is estranged from the General; she wouldn’t be a target any longer. Hey, Frank, I am being sent to Camp Lejeune, and I will probably be there for a few months. Can you get my stuff from the base sent stateside?”

“Absolutely, I will make calls as soon as we hang up. So tell me, did you fall for her?”

He sighed heavily before answering, “Yeah, I did Frank.”

~ * ~  
Carter darted down the stairs from Chris’s room and began a sprint back to the hotel. She weaved through the people on the street and paid no attention to the traffic. She was almost hit three times as dodging the people on the sidewalk took her into the street. Once at the hotel, she walked to her room and threw herself onto the bed. Within a matter of moments, sleep overtook her.

She was awakened by a forceful knock on her door. At first, she wondered if she was actually just dreaming. The knocking started again, “Carter, please open the door.”

She jumped from the bed and made her way to the door and flung it open. She stepped to the side and let the General walk in. Closing the door after him, she turned and walked back to the bed and sat down. “I guess I am not surprised that you would come looking for me. How did you know where I would be? Did you put a tracking device on me earlier?”

“I did not use a tracking device; honestly, Carter that is not my style. No, I went to the hospital to check on Captain Evans, and he told me you just left. I didn’t think you would try sightseeing in Kandahar given everything that has happened.”

“You went to see Chris? I have to admit that I didn’t expect that.”

“I figured I should meet the man that my daughter is in love with. It seems like the proper thing to do.”

“You think I am in love with him? What in the world would make you think that?”

William Gray was staring out the window with his back to his daughter. He did not turn to answer her, “Carter you hate guns and shooting them; have to admit I find that ironic since you are in the military. But anyway, you don’t take up a weapon and point it at anyone unless you are protecting someone you love. The last time you raised a gun and were willing to fire it was the night your mother left. I’ve often wondered if you had wished she had shot me that night.” Carter didn’t respond – she also did not raise her head or look at her father as he spoke to her. “I determined that you must have feelings for him, you went to go find him in the middle of an ambush, and you shot and killed a man to save him. All of that together sounds like love to me.”

She took a deep breath and stood up and faced the man in the window. “Are you serious right now? Why exactly are you here?”

“I told you; you are my daughter, and I came over here when I found out that you were involved in the ambush. Despite what you think about me, I do love you.”

“Yeah, you have a funny way of showing it.”

“Well, that is fair. Tell me, though; are you in love with this Captain Evans?”

“I am not going to have this conversation with you. I haven’t seen you in over a year, and I think you have called me twice in the last six months. Now all of a sudden you want to come over here and play the concerned parent and try to get all sorts of details about my personal life. That is rich General; really really rich.”

“Look, Carter, I admit that I have not made your life easy. But maybe, just maybe, the idea that my daughter, the one who has been an analyst and never out on the front lines, could have been killed in an insurgent ambush is enough to make a man think.” He began pacing back and forth in front of the window. “Yes, you are a badass and saved the Captain and oh what a hero you are; but you are my daughter first, and I was scared. Or does that not matter?”

Carter didn’t know how to respond to that. She had never thought of the General as the sentimental type, and he had never shown very much emotion where she was concerned. This was new to her. She decided to go ahead and talk to him. What was the worst that could happen? “I don’t know if I love him – I think I am just confused and believe me that never actually happens to me. Maybe I am scared to think that I am in love with him. He is obstinate and insufferable and duty bound to the Corps. He has a fragile ego, hates being pushed outside of his core thoughts and drives me crazy with his belief that there is no other way. And he is handsome and dashing and can be sweet and gentle.” Carter stopped and took a deep breath and let out a heavy sigh, “He is an awful lot like you, and that is why I am scared to think I might be in love with him. More than that, I am afraid that he might feel the same way.”

William Gray began to laugh softly, turned and walked over to his daughter and wrapped her in his arms. “They say little girls always grow up looking for a man just like their dads. I think you are proving that my dear Carter.” He hugged her a bit harder before releasing her and looking down into her face, “I believe you need to go back to the hospital and let Captain Evans know that you have feelings for him.”

“Oh no, I am not going to do that. It is bad enough that I left without saying anything to him. I can’t walk back in there; I will look like an idiot. You know I left without saying anything to him; just walked out after he told me that he has feelings for me. How cold and hateful is that? I am sure he is mad enough at me that he won’t ever speak to me again.”

“Oh, I think you underestimate how he feels about you. He was bold enough to confront me about you. He wanted to know if I was proud of you and that if I was, I should tell you so that you will quit trying to earn my approval. He is scared that you will get yourself killed.”

“He did what? Is he nuts?” She began pacing back and forth while the General stood by and watching her, amused at the scene. 

“Well, he said that if I just told you that I was proud of you, then you would stop all of the nonsense to try and get my approval.” He continued watching her, “I told him you have it.”

“Told him I have what?”

“My approval Carter; I am proud of you, and I guess I didn’t realize you needed me to say it to you. But I am proud of the Marine and the woman that you are. If you are putting yourself at risk because you think it will make me love you more or make me prouder; well stop it. I could not be prouder of you.”

Carter walked over and picked up her hotel room key and walked towards the door. As she opened the door, she looked over her shoulder, “You can let yourself out right? Sorry to run out on you, I just need to talk to Chris.”

~ * * * ~  
Carter stormed into the hospital room ready to unload on Chris; instead, she found an empty room. The bed was empty, and the door to the bathroom was open so she knew he wasn’t there. He didn’t have any personal effects with him during the evacuation so she couldn’t look to see if his stuff was still around. She could feel herself beginning to panic and was about to ring for a nurse when she saw him being wheeled back into the room.

“Well, I must say I didn’t expect you to come back. Don’t worry the doctors were able to remove the knife from my heart – shouldn’t leave any permanent damage.” He watched her expression and realized it had not changed. The look of fear from when he came in had not disappeared. “It was a bad joke Carter – I was referring…”

“I know what you were referring to,” she interrupted. “I am sorry about that, and I can explain but first, did you seriously confront the General in regards to me?”

The nurse moved the wheelchair next to the bed and helped get Chris situated. She hooked his I-V back up and took his vitals one last time before leaving the two of the alone. 

“Yes, I did, and I will not apologize to you for it.”

“Who do you think you are meddling in my life like that? I don’t need you talking to the General about me and what you think you understand after knowing me for two weeks.”

“I think I am someone who is concerned about you and who owes you gratitude for saving my life. The General came here looking for you, I didn’t seek him out, but I wasn’t letting the moment pass either. What is this really about Carter?”

She scoffed and began walking toward the door and then turned and marched back to him, “I don’t need a hero, Chris. I don’t need someone swooping in to save the damsel in distress. Newsflash, I am not a damsel, and I am certainly not in distress.”

“Well by definition you are a damsel; so maybe you aren’t at this moment, but you can’t say that within the last week you have not been in distress.”

“Damn you are infuriating.”

“And you are really sexy when you are pissed off. I told you, I don’t regret saying something to him. You are evidently not willing to talk to him so a dialogue needed to be started somehow.” Chris watched her, she was starting to shake, and he knew it was because she was angry. He motioned for her to sit in the chair across from the bed; he hoped if she sat down she would not run because there was no way he was going to catch her. He softly began to speak, “Carter, I think you have this inherent need to get daddy’s love and approval, and you are hell bent on throwing caution to the wind to do it. You want everyone to know you are a badass, and you can do anything but you don’t realize it will get you killed if you aren’t careful.” He watched to see if she was going to respond but she just watched him intently. “I felt he needed to know that you keep putting yourself out there to get him to notice. And he should do what he should have done a long time ago - tell you he is proud, and he loves you. That way you can go back to being a beautiful and intelligent woman who takes more precautions and lives a little longer. Because I want an opportunity to be with you, and I can’t do that if you go off and get yourself killed.”

He had poured out his soul to her, and he watched for a reaction, but she didn’t seem to have one. She just stared at him; he wasn’t sure if she was going to start yelling at him or if she was going to take off running. All he wanted was a reaction. “Carter, for God’s sake say something.”

She stood up and walked over to the bed with determination and passion in her eyes. He was afraid she was going to slap him. Instead, she bent down over the bed and kissed him. She was soft and gentle at first but quickly moved to deepen the kiss, and he did not resist. She broke away and her heart was beating so hard that she was afraid it would pound out of her chest. “I’m sorry did you want me to say something?” He shook his head no and blinked his eyes as if he could not believe that she had just kissed him. She sat on the side of the bed and kissed him again. “So I guess I should say that I am sorry for yelling at you?”

“Well…yeah…that would be nice. Maybe you could explain why you ran out of here like your ass was on fire earlier.”

“I was scared; actually, I still am. I haven’t had someone tell me they had feelings for me, and it scared me. But I think I have the same feelings, and that terrifies me the most.”

“Well, I find it hard to believe that someone has never told you that they have feelings for you. Carter, you are a beautiful woman who is wicked smart and while you portray this tough outer shell it is evident to me that you have a softer side.”

“Well when you are a Marine and the child of a decorated Brigadier General, men are not clamoring to take you out on a date. I think more men were worried I would kick their ass if they made a move.”

“So I scared you? I am sorry for that,” Chris grabbed her hand, squeezing to let give comfort. “You know I do need to properly thank you for saving my life and giving me the opportunity to tell you that I have feelings. I am serious, I would like a chance to see where this goes; I won’t push you Carter, but I just don’t think we can admit feelings and then ignore them.”

She turned to look at him and smiled. She leaned over to kiss him, and he then made room for her to lie down next to him. He wrapped his arms around her and nuzzled at her neck. They were still in silence for a few moments when he finally decided to speak up, “So, can we talk for a minute about that shot? I mean for someone who hates guns; girl you were quite amazing.”

She began to chuckle, “Did I never tell you that I was a crack shot? I told you I didn’t like them, but I never told you I didn’t know how to fire one.”

“Obviously, you know how to shoot one. That was a fantastic shot; neither of us knew you were there. So tell me, what happened that has made you not like guns? There has to be more to the story you told me in the mess tent.”

“I was trying to be quiet; when I saw you on the ground and knew what he might do to you,” She began to get choked up. “I had to do something because I could not just stand by and watch you die. And yes, there is more to the story; I am just not ready to talk about it. Maybe one day I will tell you everything.”


	7. Chapter 7

It had been two months since the ambush; Chris was settled into an apartment on the base of Camp Lejeune in North Carolina. He had initially transferred to the Naval Hospital on base but had been quickly discharged since he didn’t need daily care. His injuries had healed, but now it was time for the intense rehabilitation on his leg. The wound had been more severe than he had let on to Carter; he didn’t want her to worry, and there was no use scaring her if this thing they had was not going to continue. She had stayed with him for the first few days after coming back to the States. She had some leave time accumulated, and they felt sorry for what she had gone through so she didn’t need to rush back to work. She stayed in his hospital room and barely left his side; he worried she would get sick of him. He had to admit it was great spending time with her. They got to know each other more and made the decision that they wanted to see where a relationship could go between them. They each felt the other had an ego and an attitude problem, but somehow there was no friction.

Carter decided, after a week, that she should go back to Quantico. She thought it might be good for her to work and keep her mind occupied while he concentrated on his therapy. She did not want to be in the way. What she did do, however, was drive down every weekend; a ten-hour round-trip visit. Chris had tried to get her to cut the trips to every other week or try to catch a flight, but she wouldn’t hear of it. He had concerns about her being too tired and pushing herself too much; she said the drive helped clear her mind and let her focus on him when she arrived. He realized it would not do any good to argue with her.

Before the ambush, the Marine recruiting officers were courting Chris and trying to get him to reenlist. He was a good Marine with a stellar record and an asset that they wanted to hold onto. He had six months left, and they wanted to wrap up his commitment before time was up. He didn’t have a wife or kids, and he wasn’t sure if he would be ready to slip back into civilian life. He had his papers ready to sign and deliver when the ambush took place. Now he was rethinking his position; brush with death will make you reevaluate your priorities really fast. He had Carter to think about now; the more time he spent with her, the less he wanted to go back to the front lines. He had known her for two weeks when the ambush happened and in that time, she had completely turned his life upside down. 

He checked his watch; it was Friday so she was on her way to see him. It was 2:00 and she wouldn’t be there until 5:30 at the earliest. 

~ *~  
Carter was driving down I-95 and had just entered North Carolina when her phone rang. It was her friend Roxie. “Hey, sorry I didn’t get to see you before I left.”

“Well that is why I am calling; I wanted to wish you luck. Are you nervous?”

“Terrified Roxie; what happens if I have been misreading the signs, and this isn’t going where I think it is? You know I’ve never had feelings for anyone like this, and I can’t help but feel that this is in my head.”

“Carter you need to quit second guessing everything; you act as if no man could ever love you or would want to be with you. For someone who is so damn sure of herself at work and has no trouble telling people where to go and what route to take you have no self-confidence. Besides, he said he had feelings for you and you two agreed to date and see where it goes. If he didn’t like you or have feelings, he wouldn’t let you visit him every weekend.”

“It isn’t like he has a choice Roxie; he’s stuck on the base and can’t drive for long distances yet so he can’t escape.” Her nervous laugh was meant to make light of her fears.

“Right, he can’t escape, but he could tell you to quit coming down there, or he could stop answering the door!” Roxie paused for a beat to let that sink in. “Get out of your own head; you have nothing to worry about; he likes you, and you like him, and you need to just move it to the next level.”

“Roxie I would believe you, but the most we have done is kiss and snuggle on the couch. We sleep in the same bed but there is nothing, and I mean absolutely nothing, sexual or romantic about it.”

“Have you ever tried to make the first move? You know, show him what you’ve got?”

“Yes! I have tried to initiate a few things, but he always stops me. He isn’t interested, and that is why I think he doesn’t really like me that way. Maybe I am just not his type.” As an analyst, she had a tendency to over analyze everything and her relationship, or lack thereof, was at the top of the list.

“Well, what you need to do is approach this like a problem from work. Be direct and matter of fact, ask him what his intentions are and where this might be going. Maybe he has a self-confidence problem as well, and that is why he has been slow to make a move. So, tell me you are at least prepared if this moves forward; do you have a sexy little number to wear?”

Carter began to softly laugh, “Well, I hope he likes red; I went back and bought that set we saw in the store the other day.”

“Good girl! Maybe he just needs to see you in sexy clothes to get the full effect. You do know that camo and khaki do nothing for your skin coloring, right? I am sure when he sees you rocking that red set he will not be able to resist you.” 

Carter wrapped up her call and told Roxie she would give her the lowdown as soon as she could. She was making good time on the trip but still had a few hours before she would be at the base; this gave her plenty of opportunity to practice what she wanted to say.

When she was an hour outside of Jacksonville she called Chris, “Hey handsome; I wondered if we could do something a little different tonight? I should be there in about an hour and thought we could go out to dinner instead of eating in.” There was silence on the other end of the line and at first, she was afraid that he had hung up, “Chris, are you there?”

Another pause and then he finally spoke up, “You know I am not really up for going out. I’ve had a long day, and you’ve had a long drive. Why don’t you just stop and pick up our order and maybe we could go out another time.”

She didn’t know how to respond; his lack of desire to go out to dinner was also a crushing blow to her self-confidence. “Sure, whatever you want Chris.” Without saying another word, she disconnected the call. She immediately began cataloging her visits to see him and realized they had never left his apartment. She would bring dinner on Friday and for the weekend they would cook. From time to time, she would go to the store, but they never went as a couple. It was hard not to think that he didn’t want to be seen in public with her. In her mind, she knew she was irrational and potentially immature, but she could not help it. She felt like the writing was on the wall, and she had been electing to ignore it; maybe it was time to pay attention before she humiliated herself any further. 

She dialed the number for the little Italian restaurant near the base entrance; well there was fast food, but she liked the idea of a real meal that would still be hot by the time she got to the apartment. She had become friends with Jimmy, the owner, and he could recognize her voice when she called. She never had to order, she just had to say how far out she was, and dinner would always be ready when she pulled up. Tonight she did request that he add a bottle of wine; she was going to need it.

She pulled up in front of the apartment and grabbed her purse, overnight bag, and of course dinner. Luckily the items were just bulky and not heavy; plus he had a first-floor apartment so there were no stairs to maneuver. As she approached the door it immediately opened; Chris was standing in there in a pair of loose-fitting jeans with an oxford shirt that was untucked and not buttoned all the way. He looked so sexy with mussed hair, and he was growing out his beard since he was no longer on active duty. He instinctively reached for the bags to help ease her load. “You should have honked, I would have come out.”

“Its fine; no big deal I am capable of carrying bags you know.” She was trying to keep from being hateful, but she was sure he could hear a tone in her voice. 

He began unpacking the dinner, “I see you bought a bottle of wine, what’s the special occasion?” He was trying to remain light in his tone. He sensed her anger when she hung up on him earlier, and it was evident when she made the comment about the bags. She was not in a good mood, and he had to tread carefully.

She began opening and closing the drawers in the kitchen; making sure to slam them appropriately. “I need a drink, it has been a rough day,” she said emphatically. “Don’t you have a damn corkscrew?”

“No, I don’t, but you are in luck because this bottle is a rare vintage with a screw cap!” He smiled, trying to keep the mood light.

She didn’t react; instead, she reached into the cabinet for two glasses and walked over to the table. Chris poured the wine and set the bottle down; she immediately picked it back up and topped off her glass. She then sat down and took a long draw from her glass and then began to eat her dinner.

~ * * * ~  
The attitude she displayed was not normal so he knew that something was really bothering her. He had a feeling it had to do with his declining the offer to go out to dinner. So her attitude coupled with a significant amount of wine she was consuming made it quite clear she was upset. He knew he should keep his mouth shut; getting into an argument with a woman is never a good idea, but he could not help himself, “Do you want to let it out?”

She snapped her head up and looked at him, “Let what out?”

“Don’t play dumb Carter it doesn’t suit you. You are obviously angry with me so do you want to yell at me and get it out? Would it make you feel better?” He just looked at her for a moment, and he could tell she was trying to process what he was saying. “Because I can take you yelling at me but I can’t take the silent treatment or the bitterness when you do speak.”

She took another drink of her wine and then put the glass down, sat back in her chair and crossed her arms. “Is there a reason you don’t want to go out in public with me? I mean, are you embarrassed to be with me? Do you wish I didn’t come down here? We never leave your apartment; we stay in, and that would be okay if we were having sex like bunnies, but you don’t even touch me. I am trying to figure out what in the hell is happening here.” 

Chris began to laugh; a slight chuckle at first and then a full belly laugh. “My God Carter; do you even hear yourself? Please tell me you are kidding because this can’t be why you are all piss and vinegar tonight.” He watched her carefully for a reaction and her expression never changed. “Shit, you are serious!” He threw his napkin on the table and pushed his chair away. 

Carter watched as he got up and walked toward his room. To walk away he should be stomping and walking fast but he wasn’t. Instead, she noticed he was moving slowly and that his limp was more pronounced. It also did not go unnoticed that he had braced his hand on the wall to keep himself steady. She was jolted back to the moment when the bedroom door slammed. Suddenly she began to feel sick; why had she not noticed the limp before? Was it always that bad? She couldn’t move she just sat there in stunned silence. 

Was this why he didn’t want to go out? Had she been so wrapped up in herself that she flat out failed to notice something this important? She was obviously a horrible girlfriend, and she needed to apologize. She got up and cleaned up the remaining dinner items; not much had been eaten so she closed the containers and put them into the refrigerator for later. She moved at a slow pace; it gave her time to form her apology, and it allowed him time to be alone. Once the mess was cleaned up, she walked down the small hallway towards the bedroom. She didn’t knock, she just quietly opened the door to find him sitting on the side of the bed with his back to the door. He was leaning forward with his elbows on his knees and his head in his hands. She sat on the bed next to him but did not touch him. 

She took a deep breath and quietly began speaking, “I am sorry for being so concerned with myself; I am an idiot Chris, and I should not have been ugly to you. You did not deserve that, and I was out of line.” She dropped her head and waited to see if he responded. When he didn’t say anything, she rose and headed toward the door.

“Tell me, Carter,” his voice was low, “When exactly did you regret what you said? Did you feel sorry before or after I walked away?” He turned and looked at her, “I don’t need your pity.”

“My attitude is why I am sorry and the fact that I was hateful to you because I was stupid. I don’t pity you, Chris.” He had looked away when she started talking, and he did not attempt to make eye contact with her. “I guess I shouldn’t be surprised that I would mess this relationship up, or whatever the hell this thing is between us. For what it is worth, I am sorry. I’ll get my stuff and go, just give me a minute or two.” She continued walking toward the door, and it was evident he was not going to stop her. 

She wanted to cry but was willing herself to not let a tear fall. She would never consider herself emotional, but this hurt. She compartmentalized her emotions and picked up her bag and purse. She had just opened the door and was preparing to walk out the door when she heard him clear his throat behind her; she figured he was just making sure she was leaving. “I don’t think you should go; it is a long drive, and you just got here.”

She didn’t turn around, she was not sure she could take looking at him. She stood arrow straight and softly answered, “Still trying to look out for me, eh? Well, it is okay I’ll get a hotel room in Jacksonville tonight and will take out first thing in the morning and be home by lunch. You need not worry; it won’t be your concern.” 

“Let me try to say this again; Carter, I do not want you to leave.” 

“Well, I am not quite sure why you expect me to stay. This is over Chris, and it is better to just let me go and be done with it. I promise I have no hard feelings.” She took a step when she heard his voice boom.

“Did I say I want this to be over? I don’t want you to leave, I don’t want this to be over, and I want you to come back in here and shut the damn door.” He watched her carefully to see if he could gauge her reaction to his words. “I can’t put all of the blame on you for tonight; please stay and we can talk about it.” He was pleading with her to stay.

Carter dropped her shoulders in defeat and slowly backed into the apartment and shut the door. She didn’t turn around to look at him. “What do you mean it isn’t just my fault?”

“Look, I get why you came to the conclusion you did about what is going on or not going on. But I haven’t been entirely honest with you about my injuries or my recovery. I owe you my own apology and an explanation so will you please stay so we can talk about it?” He waited a minute to see if she moved, but she didn’t. “Carter, I am not ready to throw in the towel. I know we haven’t known each other that long, but I care about you too much to just end this over a stupid misunderstanding. I think it is evident that we both hide our emotions; guess it is just a side effect of military life.” He chuckled softly trying to ease the tension.

She turned to look at him and noticed he was standing behind the couch and holding on to the back of it for support; she could tell he was struggling. But he didn’t move, not until he noticed that she was putting her stuff down and walking toward the couch, then he walked around and took a seat. They sat on opposite sides of the sofa and did not look at one another initially. 

A few minutes had passed, and the silence was beginning to get uncomfortable. Chris had his hands folded in his lap and just stared at them; he wasn’t really sure how to start this conversation. Finally, he decided to just say it, “My leg wound was more severe than we initially believed. I never told you the truth or that I am battling constant pain. I don’t make it any better for myself because I won’t take any of the pain pills. The therapy is helping some, but I have good and bad days; on the bad days, I have a lot of trouble walking. The doctors can’t tell me if it will get any better.” He took a deep breath to try and steady his heart rate before continuing. “I don’t want to embarrass you so I want to stay here where I can pretend that everything is perfect. I don’t want to go out in public because of my leg not because I am ashamed of you. And I’m not you know, ashamed of you.”

She moved closer to him on the couch, “Everything is not perfect in this apartment if you aren't truthful with me. Why couldn’t you just be honest with me?”

“I was afraid you wouldn’t want to be with me if you thought there was a chance that I wouldn’t be, - you know, me.”

“But you are you,” She edged a bit closer. “You are no different than you were when I met you except the bravado you displayed on that first day. But in here,” she reached over pressing on his chest, “You are the same man I fell for. If I didn’t want to be with you, I wouldn’t drive down here every weekend.”

“So, this injury and my recovery or lack thereof doesn’t bother you?”

“It bothers me if it bothers you but my love for you isn’t dependent on whether you walk with or without a limp. You think so little of me that you believe I would be that shallow?” 

He opened his mouth to say something and stopped himself. He gave her a quizzical look, “Did you just say what I think you said?”

A smile formed on her lips, “So you were listening to me.” She was now sitting right next to him; she reached over and pulled his face towards hers. “Yeah, I have fallen in love with you. I didn’t set out to do that you know, and I have always wondered if I was capable of being able to love someone. Did you seriously think I drove down here every weekend because we are friends?” 

“Well, I figured you felt a sense of duty since you saved my ass,” the smile on his face and the gentle laugh showed his sense of humor was still intact even if the conversation was not funny.

“Oh, my sense of duty is not that strong, Captain.” Carter moved and straddled his lap, looking him straight in the eyes, “I am sorry that I was insensitive and selfish. I was only thinking of myself and didn’t realize what was going on and had it in my mind that you were ashamed of me. But you have to know that no matter what hurdles we have in front of us, I love you. You know I did have a plan for this weekend, and it certainly did not include us fighting.” She began to gently rock back and forth on his lap and could see tell that he was enjoying her movement. “Please tell me that I am not hurting you right now.”

He breathlessly answered, “Um…no…not hurting me…shit!” He put his hands on her hips to hold her in place, “So, this was your plan?”

She began laughing, “Well, it was part of the plan; I seriously hoped this would lead to something else. I wanted to talk about us and moving our relationship forward; I did not plan on the fight. She rocked forward and captured his lips, kissing him softly. “Are you up for that?”

“Um…I am up for something, just not sure it is talking,” he snickered.

“Good because right now I am not actually interested in talking,” she rocked forward again and kissed him, letting this kiss linger a bit longer than the first. “But I suppose we do need to have a serious discussion.” She gently eased herself off of his lap and stood in front of him. “I am going to freshen up and change and then maybe we could talk. Does that sound okay?”

Chris nodded in approval and watched as she walked down the hall to the bedroom. He had to adjust himself because she about sent him over the edge when she was rocking on his lap; he had denied himself touching her whenever they were together. He ached to touch her when they slept next to each other for the past two months. But he exercised self-control while she was there and took care of his urges after she left. He was brought out of his thoughts when he heard her walking back down the hall; he looked up to see her before him in red satin lace trim pajamas; the shirt open to show off the lace bra underneath; he knew this meant she had panties on to match! 

His breath hitched, “Holy hell Carter do you think I can talk to you while you are wearing that?”

She gave him a devilish smile, “Well the alternative is that I could lose the clothes altogether.”


	8. Chapter 8

Chris watched as she walked over and sat beside him on the couch. How did she seriously think he would be able to concentrate when she was dressed like this? “Did you want me distracted when we have this important talk?”

“Hey, eyes up here Evans! But I will admit that this was a test.” Chris was confused, she could see it on his face. “I know it is stupid, but I didn’t think you were genuinely attracted to me. I have always felt a certain sexual charge when we have fought and thought there was chemistry, but you never touch me.” Carter dropped her head, it was very odd to be having this type of conversation. But after the earlier fight, she felt the need to just get it all out. “I guess I questioned if you had the same feelings for me that I had for you. I know that must sound utterly ridiculous.”

Chris slid over closer to her, taking her hand, “Oh Carter, I never intended to make you feel that way. It has literally hurt to not touch you. Believe me, why do you think I take long showers? I was just nervous because I was not sure you would want me if I weren't going to get better and I was worried about getting hurt.” Chris started shaking his head and smirking a bit, “Damn, I sound like a girl.”

Carter playfully punched him in the arm, “Wait a minute, you are taking care of yourself in those long showers? Damn it!” She playfully punched him in the arm again and laughed heartily. “On a serious note, you are what I want, and you have no idea how hard it is for me to admit that! It is so much easier when you don’t love anyone and don’t feel like anyone loves you back. I don’t know how to deal with relationships and feelings. It isn’t like I had a role model with loving parents as I was growing up.”

“You told me your mom left; did they fight all the time when you were little?”

She took a deep breath and hoped she would be able to get through this without breaking down. If she wanted her relationship to work, she had to put it all out there. This would help determine if she went through with the rest of her plan. “Yeah, she left. My parents were married about six months when my mother found out she was pregnant. It was way too early in their marriage, and she was not in the least bit excited. The General, well he was over the moon! He was an only son, his dad was an only son, his grandfather – you get the picture. So he was positive that I would be a boy; a son he would play catch with and who would go into the Marines and be an excellent officer.” There was a slight tone of bitterness in her voice.

“So you weren’t what he had in mind?”

“No, not the least bit. He was angry in the beginning and then came around. He tells me stories about how he would carry me around and dote all over me while my mother had to tote around all the baby stuff. In a weird twist of fate, he ended up being crazy about me, and she resented me. She wasn’t ready to have kids, and she hated the idea of being stuck with me while he was deployed or whatever. She didn’t want to be a single parent and made that abundantly clear. She was never the loving and adoring parent.”

“Wow, I can’t even imagine what that was like for you.”

“She stayed around until I was about 8 and that is when she decided that she was done being a mother. The General had just received a promotion, and he was home for the first time in several months. She packed up her stuff and told him she was leaving. He was begging her to stay; I had never seen him like that before. He tried to keep her from leaving; he tried blocking the door and reaching for her to hold her back.” She took a moment to gather herself because it was not easy to say these things. “She pulled a gun on him and threatened to shoot him if he didn’t move. She said she would kill him and me if she had to.”

Chris could not help but stare at her, watching the emotions play across her face. He had never expected this type of story, and this explained why she had a hard time with the idea of love and relationships. He reached for her hand and held it tight; giving her a slight squeeze to let her know that he was supportive. He didn’t want to push her to open up but wanted her to know that it was safe if she wanted to move on.

“I ran out of the room; couldn’t take the idea of her killing him. So, I grabbed the gun that was hidden in the desk drawer in the General’s office. I pointed it at my mother and told her to get out and that if she shot my dad, I would kill her.” She turned and looked into Chris’s face, “I threatened to kill my own mother, Chris. What kind of kid does that?”

“I’ll tell you, a brave kid who is trying to protect herself and her father. I had no idea it was this bad for you and I have to say it makes me understand a few things.” He put his arm around her shoulder and pulled her to him. “So, I guess you didn’t shoot, and neither did she?”

“No, she didn’t shoot. The General was horrified that I had gotten the gun, and he moved from the door to take it from me. He scooped me up in his arms and took me into the other room as my mother walked out the door. He never yelled at me; instead, he sat down in his chair and put me on his lap and we sat there all night. I didn’t cry; I think I knew she didn’t love me so it didn’t hurt when she left. It just made it really hard to grow up with a man who didn’t exactly know what to do with a little girl.”

“And this is why you don’t like guns? It brings back the memories of that night?”

“Yes, that’s why. The scary thing is, I knew how to shoot, and I know if I had fired I would have killed her. I think the General realized that too, and that is why he actually moved when he did. I believe he was afraid I would really do it, and my mother had no clue as to how accurate my shooting really was.” 

Chris didn’t know what to say; he prompted her to go down this path, but he had not anticipated that this would be her story. He gently rubbed her arm to soothe and comfort her. “Have you seen your mother since that night?”

“No, she sent the General divorce papers and gave him full custody of me. She even signed away parental rights, and that allowed her to get away without paying child support. I have no idea where she went or what her life has been like, and I don’t give a damn.”

“So why do you always refer to your father as the General; I would have thought this whole situation would have brought you closer together.”

She moved away from Chris and turned on the couch so she could look at him, “I know, right? It drove him away from me; he began to resent me and the fact that he was now a single father. He didn’t go to the front lines any longer, but he was transferred every few years, and he had to drag me along. He started treating me like a mission versus his child so everything was regimented. We didn’t interact like we had before my mother left.” She stood up and began walking over to the kitchen. “I need a drink you want some wine?”

“No, I ‘m good,” he responded. He wasn’t surprised she needed to have a drink, she was opening up in a way she never had before, and he knew that she needed the liquid courage. “So you had to grow up on your own?

She took a big drink as she walked back into the living room; sitting the glass on the coffee table, she took her seat next to Chris on the couch. “Pretty much; he dragged me everywhere, and I was constantly ‘on display’ at events in his honor. Guys wouldn’t ask me out because they were afraid of him. I never went on a date in high school; never went to prom or a dance. I was a hermit and because of it, I spent all of my time studying and reading.”

“What about in college? No one there knew your father.”

“Oh by that time I was so backward and afraid of the idea of dating. I loaded up my schedule and made sure I had very little free time. What free time I did have I spent studying and doing homework. All I did was push up my entry date with the Marines. Now, don’t go feeling all sorry for me. I tried dating when I was stationed in Germany; didn’t have much success. I’ve had a few boyfriends, but none of them worked out. And to answer the question before you have a chance to ask, I am not a virgin!”

Chris began to laugh, he wasn’t going to ask her that, but he did appreciate the fact that she clarified for him. “Ok, good to know. So do you hold it against him that he has kept you from meeting the Marine of your dreams?” 

“Well, not exactly. The General is not lovey-dovey and has been cut off since my mother left. He never had another relationship, never remarried, and found it hard to be affectionate with me. He was also very stingy with praise and compliments. I never knew if he was proud of me, hated me, or was somewhere in the middle.” She picked up her glass and downed the rest of the wine, “I have been deathly afraid of finding a man that would be a copy of him. You know they say girls are attracted to men that remind them of their fathers. I was scared that is what I was going to get; better to be closed off instead of the alternative.”

Chris began to laugh out loud at this comment, “Oh my God, you were afraid I would be like your father? Why would you think that?”

“Well, you are in the Marines, and it is your career. He was brash and you, dear heavens you had enough bravado for the entire camp the day I met you! Look, it wasn’t that I thought you would be like him it is just my fear that I will find someone who turns out to be like him.”

“Is that all?”

She hung her head and slowly began to shake it, “I think I am more afraid that I will end up being like my mother. I don’t want to find a man and hurt him like she hurt my father.” There she had said it; the real root of the problem. She was more concerned with being her mother than anything else. It was weird, but it was almost as if a weight had been lifted from her shoulders when the words left her mouth. “I do suppose I owe you a ‘thank you’ though. You confronted the General about me and it allowed for us to open a dialogue that we needed.”

“How are things with him now? I am going to guess you talk more?”

“Yeah, we talk more. Since I got back from Afghanistan, we talk at least once a week. We have a regular lunch date, and we are trying really hard to reconnect. We have a long way to go, but we are committed to making it work; he is the only family I have.”

~ * * * ~

It was getting late, and the conversation was heavy, but it had been very productive. Chris was happy that Carter was able to open up to him, and he felt like he was finally able to understand who she was. He loved that she had vulnerability; she was tough and independent but deep down she was just looking for love and to know that she was safe.

“I know you didn’t intend to tell me all of that tonight, but I am glad that you did,” Chris said as he leaned over and kissed her on the head. “Carter, you have to know that you are worth being loved and I don’t think you have to worry about turning into your mother.”

She turned to look at him, “But you don’t know that for sure.”

“Yeah and neither do you! Just like I am not going to turn into your father; don’t say that I might because we are different people Carter. We know what not to repeat.” He watches as she slowly nods her head, acknowledging that he has a point. “So, dare I ask what you really wanted to talk about tonight?”

She looks at him sheepishly, “No, I wanted to tell you that I had feelings for you and tell you that I wanted to see about moving the relationship forward.”

“Ok, well we have established that we both have feelings for one another. So how exactly do you intend to go forward?” He then slaps himself in the head, “Oh! That is where the sexy little pajamas come into play, right?”

At this point, Carter cannot control her laughter, “Yes, genius that is part of it. But to be honest, it wasn’t the only thing. I want to be closer to you, this traveling is killing me, and I hate that I only see you on the weekends. I want to give my notice and move down here, and then I can help with your therapy, and we can date like regular folks.”

His head snapped to look at her, “What? You can’t do that Carter; you can’t quit your job. Are you out of your mind?” He watched as her eyes clouded over with his words; she was confused as to what he was trying to say to her. 

To this point she had felt that the conversation was going well; they had expressed feelings for one another, and she gave him her background. This opposition was unsettling. “Wait a minute, I’m confused; I told you that I love you, and I thought you understood that I don’t use that word lightly,” She stood up from the couch, trying to catch her balance as the wine had started to catch up with her. “I figured that when your rehab was complete, you would go back to Afghanistan. I don’t want to waste time that I could be spending with you.” She began to pace, and she could feel her body temperature rising. She suddenly turned back and looked at him, “Oh, I am foolish. Is this because I am the only one willing to use the ‘L’ word?”

Chris stood from the couch and walked over to her; he put his hands on her shoulders and looked into her eyes. “No, you are not the only one Carter; I have loved you longer than you know. But you are not going to throw your career away because of me. You are a brilliant analyst with an incredible career ahead of you, and you will regret losing your career because of me.”

She just stared at him; trying her best to figure out what in the world he was saying. “I can get a job anywhere. I could probably even get transferred here if I wanted to. Do you not want me to move here? Am I missing something?” 

“Right before you got to Afghanistan I was approached about reenlisting. I had six months left on my commitment, and they wanted me to stay. I was ready to sign, I had the paperwork ready to sign and send back when you got to the camp. I was so worked up about you being there, and then the ambush happened; I never sent them back.” He walked back over and took his seat on the couch; motioning for her to come and sit next to him.

As he sat down, she cuddled up next to him. “So if my math is right, you have four months left to firm up your commitment or step away?”

“I am uncertain now about staying in. I love being in the thick of the fight and being on the front lines. And with no girlfriend, wife or kids, it was an easy decision to go back. This injury and the slow healing have me thinking that I might not ever be combat ready again. And now that I have a girlfriend, well that has me thinking too.”

“Thinking about getting out? So I will say the same thing to you that you said to me, are you out of your mind?”

“No, for the first time in a while I might actually be in my right mind because for once I am thinking about a future. I always looked at the Marine Corps as my life, and you don’t think about a future when you are at war.” He was absent-mindedly stroking her head as she rested it against his shoulder. “Maybe I want to think about settling down and having a life that doesn’t depend on the Corps.”

“So explain to me again why it would be a bad idea for me to leave my job?”

“Well we can’t both be unemployed can we?”

“So you want to be the one unemployed and expect me to support your sorry ass?” She said looking up at him and grinning, “Okay, I can get behind that idea.” 

“Yeah well that would mean I should move to Virginia to be with you, and I am not sure how that will work since I am on active duty and assigned here for treatment. I can’t just move you know.”

“Well, there has to be some protocol for this. If you aren’t going to reenlist, and the doctors cannot guarantee that you will get better, you should be eligible for a medical discharge. With that, you would be able to move anywhere, and you would still be able to get treatment and therapy through your veteran’s benefits.”

“Yeah, I guess that is true.” He leaned over and kissed her head again, “We can talk about this some more tomorrow; I think I am ready to go to bed, are you coming?” He asked, raising his eyebrows.

She gave him a grin, took his extended hand and seductively whispered in his ear, “You bet I am.”

~ * ~  
Chris woke up first; the pain in his leg was throbbing, but it was worth it. Their arguments from last night only made the making up and the sex more intense. Carter was on her side, her back to him. He was admiring the angles of her body; the curve of her neck where he liked to kiss from her ear down to her collarbone. He gently pulled the sheet back to admire the lean line from her shoulder to the curve of her hip and down her long legs. She was exquisite, and he was just thankful that the pajamas she had on last night were silk because they slid off her body so easily. He wished he could just stare at her, but that familiar twitch made him want to pick up where they left at some point in the overnight hours. He just hoped that there was a good sound-proofing barrier between apartments or he might have a few complaints on his hands.

He tried to ease out of the bed so as not to disturb her; she had been so tired, and since she was sleeping peacefully he did not want to ruin that. Besides, if she got plenty of rest this morning, it would mean she would have plenty of energy for later tonight. He was totally anticipating a second and possibly third round before she had to head back to Quantico. 

He made his way to the bathroom and shut the door, hoping it would muffle the sound enough when he turned on the shower. He had the water on as hot as he could take it; bracing his arms on the wall in front of him and with this head down so the hot water could rain down on his sore and aching body. He was so lost in how the water felt that he did not hear the door open. He had no idea Carter had joined him in the shower until he felt her arms wrap around his stomach and her head rest on his back. He jumped at the feel of her cold hands around his warm body.

“Morning,” she said before kissing down his spine. 

He removed his hands from the wall and turned to face her, “Morning,” he smiled as he bent to kiss her. “I am sorry babe I didn’t mean to wake you.”

Her arms were still wrapped around him, and she began kissing the tattoo on his clavicle. She had been dying to touch it since she first saw it when he was in the hospital. Every time she saw him, he had unknowingly teased her with glimpses of it. Last night, well she took the opportunity to touch it and trace it with her tongue. Amazingly it was as erotic as she had anticipated. She knew he had others, she had seen the ones on his arms, but the one on his clavicle was sexier, and she had no way to explain that. She stopped kissing and looked up at him, “I was awake before you got out of the bed; I just didn’t turn over because I wasn’t sure I could keep my hands off of you.”

“Oh you little minx, I think I underestimated you.”

“Oh you have no idea,” she purred as she slowly ran her hands down his chest. She kept her eyes fixed on his. “Should I demonstrate for you?” She asked as she placed her hands on his hips.

He didn’t answer; instead, he backed her against the shower wall and lifted her up; she instinctively wrapped her legs around him. He was hungry for her; he moved her ever so slightly and kissed her hard as he slid into her. Her scream of ecstasy was muffled by the kiss. As he broke away from the kiss he buried his head in her neck as he continued to thrust into her. As they both went over the edge, Chris bit down on Carter’s shoulder; she didn’t flinch. 

Carter’s legs relaxed, and Chris moved to put her back on her feet. The shower had turned cold some time ago, but neither of them noticed or cared. He turned the shower off and reached for a towel offering it to Carter. She took it from his hand and before he could reach for another, she was beginning to dry him. She started with his back since had slightly turned from her; she moved the towel slowly and seductively over his shoulders and down his back; following the curve of his ass and down each leg. She was careful not to touch him other than with the towel; although she did blow on his spine as she moved and he visibly shuddered. She stood and whispered in his ear for him to turn around where she began the process all over. However, now she was a little more playful and flirty. She dried his shoulders and then kissed where she had just had the towel. This was repeated as she moved down his chest and when she got to his hips, well she knew that he wasn’t going to stand for her game much longer.

“You know, I think you have done enough of that,” he said as he reached for her arm and pulled her back up. He reached down and picked her up and carried her into the bedroom where he placed her carefully on the bed.

“You can’t put me on the bed, Chris, I am all wet.”

“Yeah, I am counting on that.”


	9. Chapter 9

Chris woke up and realized he was alone in the bed; he felt the spot vacated by Carter and realized it was still warm; this meant he had not been alone for long. He eased himself out of the bed and went to the dresser to get a pair of boxers and jeans. He left the bedroom and headed towards the kitchen and he noticed she was bopping around in a pair of panties, a pair of socks and his oxford shirt. He didn’t say a word. Instead, he just leaned over the bar and admired the view; she was oblivious to him standing there.

She finally turned and jumped when she saw him there, “Holy crap! How long have you been there?”

“Long enough,” he smirked, “I didn’t have the heart to interrupt your little show.” He tried to stifle a heartier laugh, “I have to admit it, I like your moves and in case you are wondering, you look good in my shirt.”

She threw a kitchen towel at him, hitting him square in the face. “Stop it! I decided to heat up the dinner from last night since we never did eat it. I am sure you’ve worked up quite an appetite.”

“I’m starving! So…um…how are you feeling?”

She walked around the bar, and he turned to face her; she wrapped her arms around his neck and reached up to kiss him. “I am tired, and my shoulder hurts just a little,” she gave him a wicked smile, “I think I have a little bruise or something. Do you know anything about that?”

“I am sorry about that, I guess I got a little carried away.”

“Don’t you dare apologize, I liked it,” she wiggled her eyebrows at him. “I am pretty sure we burned off enough calories to not feel guilty about this pasta dinner but in case you do feel guilty, well I think I could be persuaded into exercising after dinner.”

A smile spread across his face, he leaned down to kiss her again, “Oh, I am pretty sure I’ll feel guilty.”

Carter released her arms and went back to the kitchen and grabbed the food from the oven. She took it over to the table and went back to the kitchen for the wine and silverware. She finally sat down at the table, “Okay, I have been thinking about it since I was up and you were still sleeping. I hate to ask this but are you really ready to leave the Marines? I am not trying to start a fight, believe me, I just know that you identify with your service, and I don’t want you to regret leaving it for me just like you don’t want me to regret leaving my job for you.”

He put down his fork and looked at her for a long moment to formulate his response. “I can’t stay in the Corps if I can’t be in combat. I don’t want to stay and ride a desk just so I can say I am a Marine. I’m realistic about this, I’m not going to recover and go back to the war zone. Right now I am offered an out, and I think I need to take it,” he said as he took a bite of his dinner.

She reached across the table and grabbed his hand and gave it a squeeze, “I just want you to be happy.” She let go of his hand and moved it back to her lap.

“I know, and I appreciate the fact that you are helping talk me through it. I think it would be an adjustment and will probably take a little time to get used to. You don’t just stop being a Marine after twelve years. But I think it will be for the best, and I think if I have you by my side it will make the transition easier.” The smile that crossed his face actually reached his eyes, and Carter felt like he was sincere. 

“Okay, I can make a few calls for you. I am sure we can get the ball rolling on this. I am not going to pressure you, Chris, please know that. However, I will do whatever you need me to do to help.” She gently pushed her plate back and crossed her arms on the table. “So, where were you stationed before your tour in Afghanistan?”

“I was stationed at Yuma, Arizona. Guess if they are going to send you to the desert they might as well train your ass there!” He said laughing, “I was there about six months before they sent me over on this last tour. I lived in a furnished apartment on base; primarily because I own nothing! I didn’t think it was a good idea to have a house, car or furnishings because I had to be realistic that I might never come home.”

“Chris that is incredibly sad. So, if you move to Virginia you have nothing to take with you?”

“Well I have some clothes at the apartment, and I have the stuff I had at the base in Afghanistan. My buddy Frank got everything shipped over to me. But no, I don’t have much. I don’t really have very many clothes other than uniforms.”

“Well, I can help you with shopping. I seem to recall you complimenting women on their ability to shop and get coffee.” She couldn’t resist getting in a little dig about the phone call she overheard that first day at the camp. 

“Yeah, I was angry, and you aren’t going to let that go are you?”

“Probably not; like any good girlfriend, I will lock it in the vault and use it when it is to my advantage.” She let out a belly laugh, and Chris could not help but enjoy the way her eyes danced when she smiled. “So, I need to know more about my boyfriend. Where are you from originally?”

“Boston, actually a suburb called Sudbury. I love Boston and have long said that I will move back there someday to raise a family.”

“That sounds nice; you must have had an idyllic childhood then. So tell me about your parents and any brothers and sisters.”

“My dad is a dentist, and my mom is the director of a children’s theater. I have a brother, Scott, and two sisters, Carly, and Shanna. My parents are divorced, dad remarried, and I have two little stepsisters, Lili and Ali and a stepbrother, Bobby. I wouldn’t say it was idyllic, but I was a happy kid and loved where I grew up.”

“Well, at least, you lived in one place; I can’t say the same for me. Home is wherever I was at the moment. I moved around so much and had no other family but the General. I came real close to asking him to send me to boarding school just so I could have stability.”

“Oh, I think you would have been miserable in a boarding school. Although, I have to admit I bet you would have been sexy in a school uniform.”

“Ok, I am changing the subject! I figure since we are open and honest this would be a good time to ask those burning questions to get to know one another better. So, where did you go to college and what did you study? ”

“Oh, you don’t really want to know that; no interesting story there.”

“Spill it Evans and there has to be a story, or you wouldn’t be telling me to forget it.”

Chris dropped his head and shook it slowly; he licked his lips and looked up to see her staring at him. “I went to NYU,” he watched as her eyes grew large with this revelation, “Yes, that NYU, but I didn’t major in anything that you would find interesting.”

“You don’t know that; you haven’t spent enough time with me to know what all of my interests are. Besides, NYU is a great school why would you be ashamed to tell me you went there?”

“Oh, I am not embarrassed that I went there, but you will laugh at me when I say what I studied.”

“It can’t be that bad Evans. But fine, I promise I will not laugh.”

“Fine, I was a theater major – drama and acting.” The smile formed on Carter’s lips, and there was a giddiness that danced in her eyes and he could tell she was struggling not to laugh. “You promised not to laugh!”

Carter waited to begin a response; taking deep breaths to stifle what was about to erupt. “Wait a minute, you are telling me that you aced the OTS exam, and you were a theater major? “ She watched as he nodded to acknowledge her comments. “Were you hoping to sing to the enemy or maybe perform a play for them?” She couldn’t hold back any longer and began to laugh hysterically. “I am sorry Chris; baby I don’t mean to make light of it; I just don’t see how you made the jump from theater to the military. You are a bright guy…but theater?”

“Hey just because I was majoring in the theater didn’t mean I wasn’t smart. And it is okay, I get why you think it is odd, and I have been known to laugh about it too from time to time. I got interested in theater because of my sister, and my mom is involved in the children’s theater; I wanted to pursue it. But when I was in college I had more of a pull to do something for my country. Plus I didn’t think acting would work out for me so I joined the Marines.”

She could not take her eyes off of this man; he was humble, gorgeous, patriotic, and goofy all wrapped up into one package. “I think acting could have worked for you, but I would never have met you if you hadn’t joined the Marines. You were in New York on 9/11, weren’t you? That is what made you feel the pull to do more?”

“Yeah, I was. I didn’t see the planes hit, but I was well aware it had happened. I left my apartment and could see the smoke and hear the sirens. It was frightening, and I felt like I needed to do something. A day or so after the attack I talked to a recruiter and the guy told me I should finish college first; they don’t normally do that you know. But he said I should consider OTS, and I needed a degree for that. And as far as meeting you, well I am still trying to figure out if that will be a good thing or bad thing,” he winked.

“I think we all remember where we were that day. I was in school as well, junior year of high school. We gathered into a classroom that had a TV and huddled around to watch the coverage. It was surreal, and every one of us in that room had a family member who would be sent to fight. Our entire class went and donated blood the morning after; that is when we all held out hope that there might be survivors.”

“So did you ever consider skipping college and joining right away? Or did your father even suggest that to you?”

“No, I always stood firm on going to college. It was his requirement that I serve, but I was at least, able to call my own terms. It sounds really horrible to say; I am proud of our country and the job our military does but it takes a special person to put their lives on the line for the greater good. I am not that good of a person – I would rather run from a fight, and I don’t have the instinct within me to kill or be killed.”

“I don’t know Carter I have yet to see you run from a fight. You are actually pretty good at starting them too you know.” He gave her a wicked little grin, “But you told me the story about your mother, and that was a kill or be killed situation; I do get that it is entirely different from war, though.”

“Yeah, there is a difference between an argument and a battle. I am all for arguments; I relish them as a matter of fact. But battle? No, that is not something I want to do.”

“It doesn’t make you a horrible person any more than it makes me a horrible person for saying I want to be in the heat of the battle. We are wired differently. You did serve, though, and I have to think you are proud of the fact that you did.”

“Yeah, I am proud that I did it. It is just not what I wanted to do.”

“So what did you want to do?” He leaned forward and put his elbows on the table and leaned his head into his hands, “I guess you studied what you wanted in college since you said you stood firm on that. What did you want to be when you grew up?” 

“I studied history; I wanted to be a college professor and teach history. I am passionate about it, and I always think the best teachers are those who are passionate about their subject. I had an English teacher who made me realize that.” She looked down at the table as if to gather her thoughts, “But I joined the Marines and found I had a skill set that was needed and my career path changed.”

“Would you wear cute little cardigans and have a pair of glasses with a chain on them?” He teased.

“That is a librarian you goof!”

“Oh! Sorry about that; so where did you study?”

“The College of William and Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia; they have a fantastic program, and you can’t beat the location. It is smack dab in the middle of history!”

“You know you could still go down that path if you wanted. There is nothing that says you have to work at Quantico forever; you need to follow your bliss. Isn’t that was Oprah says?”

She could not hide her smile, he was enjoying this. “Yeah but I have a boyfriend who is about to be unemployed, and he expects me to support him. So I will have to wait a little longer on that dream.” She hung her head and acted as if she was dejected.

“Oh man, what a loser!” Chris teased, “Seriously, if you want to do it you should. What particular time in history is your favorite?” 

“I like Civil War history; there was so much more to it than a battle over slavery, and the division still runs deep. I am also fascinated by the fact that the leaders on both sides were from the same state, but they had polar opposite views. Holy crap I am a nerd.”

“You are, but that is okay, I’ve got a thing for nerds,”” he joked.

~ * * * ~  
Carter gave him a kiss goodbye and slid behind the wheel of her car for the long drive back to Quantico. The weekend had ended up being glorious; it had a rocky start, but they had ended up being able to move past it. It was hard pulling out of the drive and leaving the base; she felt like they had finally hit a point where things were easy and relaxed, and she worried that putting distance between them now could be harmful. Unfortunately, she had to get back and couldn’t stay even though it was what she wanted. She hit the highway and despite her better judgment connected the Bluetooth dialer in her car and made a call.

“Well, to what do I owe this lovely surprise, Carter?”

“Hey, I am not catching you at a bad time am I?”

“No, you know I am always happy to hear from you. But a call on a Sunday afternoon is out of the ordinary – is something wrong?”

“Nothing is wrong, but I do have a favor to ask,” she sheepishly admitted, “I am calling while I am driving back from visiting Chris in North Carolina,” she winced as she said it. While she was working on her relationship with the General; she had not yet been open with him about her relationship with Chris and had not openly admitted that she was with him every weekend. 

“Ah yes, I’d heard a rumor that you were spending quite a bit of time down there,” he took a deep breath, “And no, I am not following you or checking up on you. I had a call with a friend of mine who is on the base, and he asked if you had been transferred since he has seen you so often.”

Carter began to laugh nervously, “I guess you have a built-in network of spies when you think about it. Everyone knows you so they know me. I suppose it is a little funny.”

“So how is Captain Evans? Is his recovery coming along nicely?”

She let out a sigh, “He isn’t going to be able to go back to commanding any base or be on the front lines. His injury was a little more severe than first believed.” She took a breath and tried to boost her confidence, “That is why I am calling you actually.”

“Are you going to ask me to pull strings of some sort Carter? You want my help in getting him a job?” He had to smile, his daughter never asked him for help, and it made his heart swell that this was the point of her call. He was ready to do whatever she wanted, but he had to quell his excitement over the task.

She realized it was obvious he knew what she was up to. “Yeah, I guess that is what I was going to ask. Chris was up for re-enlistment, and he has decided to get out since he can’t serve like he wants due to his injury. This won’t count as a mark against him, will it? I mean he will be identified as honorably discharged right?”

“His departure from the Corps is no different from yours. You left at the end of our active enlistment and are wrapping up your inactive duty, and it is honorable. It will be the same for Captain Evans; although, he should be medically discharged due to his injury during service. He will have benefits and in no way would he be considered anything less than honorably leaving the Corps.” 

“He is going to make a few calls tomorrow and begin the process of his discharge. We have decided to live together; he is going to move to Quantico and start over,” She blurted the words out quickly before she lost the gumption to say it. “I didn’t know if you might have connections to help get him a civilian job; kind of like the one I have? I mean I know you didn’t get me my job, but you understand, right?”

He was glad that she could not see his face right now as it was a mixture of happiness and dread. He was thrilled that she called him and that she was asking for his help but unsure how to handle the fact that this was related to a man who would be living with her. This is where protective father mode started to kick into gear. “Yes, I know you got your job on your own dear. I will make a few calls and see if I can find something for him. You know when I realized that you had feelings for Captain Evans I did a little research on him. Quit rolling your eyes Carter! He is very well thought of and has had a great career and has no discipline issues. He should not have a problem finding a job; are you sure he wants you meddling in his search?”

“I know he is capable, and this has nothing to do with whether I think he can get a job on his own. But this is going to be a big adjustment, and I thought maybe a hand up was warranted. And no, he will probably be mad at me, but it is a risk I am willing to take. He will go stir crazy in the apartment all day, and he needs to have something to keep him focused when he is not in physical therapy.”

“Just be careful and don’t push him Carter; he will need to come to things at his own pace. You are right regarding it being a significant change. He has been in the Marines for years, and it will be an adjustment to get out.”

“Yeah, I know, and whether he is willing to admit it or not, I’m just a little scared. He is a good man, and I think the world of him. I just want to help him in any way I can.”

“I hope you know what you are doing. Just be careful, and that goes for the situation with Captain Evans as well as your drive home.”

“Thanks, I will. Once I know the timeline for his discharge I will let you know. Talk to you soon.” She disconnected the call, and she had to admit that the call went smoother than she had anticipated. It was a good feeling knowing that her relationship with the General was on a positive path. He did have a good point, though, she was meddling in what he would do when he got out of the Corps, and that was not really her place. But she was sure he would understand that it was in his best interest.

~ * ~  
Chris spent the day making calls and talking to people at the hospital and in the base recruiting office. He asked questions about his continued medical care as well as how he would be discharged. He was assured by everyone that he spoke with that he would receive an honorable discharge from the Marines and would retain his medical benefits. He was also given the information regarding a few rehabilitation facilities in Virginia where he could continue his physical therapy. He was also advised that due to his injury he would not be required to be on the inactive reserves list. So, when the discharge papers were signed, he would officially be out of the military. 

He was struggling with this decision; he knew it was the right decision but this was closing the book on a significant chapter in his life, and he was scared. For the last twelve years, he did not have to think about what he would be doing from day to day and his life was planned out. Well, to the extent that the Marines had a plan for what he would be doing based on what was going on in the world. This was the first time, in a long time, that he was making a decision for himself and not for the greater good of his country. 

With the decision made, he figured it would be a good idea to inform his family. He thought it would be best to do a three-way call with his mom and dad so that he would only have to tell the story once. Plus it eliminated the chance that he might say more to one parent and not the other. The politics of informing divorced parents could be exhausting. 

His parents knew about the ambush; the media had helped with that. He called them from the hospital in Kandahar to give them an update, and they came to visit him when he returned stateside. They arrived the day Carter had left to go back to Quantico. As much as they wanted to be there when he arrived, he had asked that they wait a week before coming to visit. His face was still swollen, and he didn’t quite look like himself; he didn’t want that image seared into his mother’s head. During their visit, he never mentioned Carter or his relationship with her. No, unlike when he was a kid and shared more than he should, he was tight-lipped about his relationships or lack thereof. It was better for him to be discreet. 

His parents made it known immediately that they were supportive of his decision to leave the Marines. They were proud of him, but they had a hard time with his being gone and not having close contact with him. His mother immediately began going through a checklist for his move home to Boston. She reminded him it would be a great way to start over, and he had always said he would settle down there. Boston was his heaven, and there was no other place he could ever imagine living; the problem was that he was not ready to settle down just yet so he would not be moving back to Boston. 

He tried to avoid it but went ahead and broke the news that he had someone in his life, and he was going to move to be with her in Virginia. Of course, they had questions, and he did what he could to deflect them. He declined to give any specific details about her; telling them it was still early in their relationship. He also did not say that she had saved his life; he would never be able to avoid his parents trying to meet her if he gave that level of detail. It wasn’t that he was ashamed to tell his parents about her; he just knew they would become attached once they had her name and information and it would be difficult to deal with should the relationship not last. His last girlfriend had been a favorite of his parents and when the relationship fizzled it was hard for them to accept. They constantly asked what went wrong and why he couldn’t fix it. What was worse was they still talked about her like she was active in their lives and they broke up two years ago. He did not want to go through that again; so he vowed to keep them at an arm’s length for future relationships until he was sure it was solid.

His parents were, of course, disappointed that he would not be moving home and would not elaborate any further on the new woman in his life. But they were respectful of his decision and offered their support in the new chapter of his life. His mom, one to always look for the bright side, commented that at least her trip to see him would be shorter since Virginia was a lot closer than Arizona.

~ * ~  
The last few days were a blur; Chris had moved forward with his discharge, and he had to endure medical testing and complete stacks of paperwork. Everyone was pleasant and more than accommodating, but it was so much to digest and accept. Each night he was exhausted, and as much as he wanted it to be over, he was dreading the fact that it would be over so soon. His discharge would be on Friday morning; it was unbelievable that it was moving so quickly. He had called Carter and given her the news; she was going to come down on Thursday evening, and they would head to Virginia as soon as he signed his release documents.


	10. Chapter 10

Carter walked into the Roadhaus Eatery and took a seat at her regular corner table. She was meeting her father for lunch and for once she arrived before he did. This restaurant was near her office, and it had become a weekly date to have lunch and catch up. She ordered a drink and a basket of homemade pretzels with dipping mustard and waited. A few moments later he walked in the door and marched towards the table.

He leaned over and kissed his daughter’s cheek, “Sorry I am late, I didn’t keep you waiting long did I?” 

She had to admit that it was quite odd to have him be so concerned with punctuality. She knew it was a holdover from the military, but he never used to worry about those things with her. “No, I just got here and ordered the pretzels. Is everything okay?”

“Yeah, I was just working on a few things, and I completely lost track of time. I have to admit that I figured you would be on the road to see Chris. Isn’t he being discharged tomorrow?” 

“I am leaving right after lunch; I didn’t want to cancel our date.” 

“So, are you going to get to meet his family? Will they be there tomorrow?”

“No, he told them not to worry about coming down. Since it isn’t really a ceremony he didn’t want them traveling so far to see him give an autograph or two.”

General Gray relaxed in his chair and crossed his arms, “He doesn’t want you to meet his parents yet does he?”

“Well thanks, I never thought of it that way. Do you think I should be worried, I mean does this mean something?” He didn’t respond; he watched his daughter fidget with her napkin and placemat; things she did when she was nervous. She moved the salt and pepper shakers around and rearranged the silverware as well. “Are you going to say anything? Come on, I need you to be a dad and give me advice when I need it.”

“Ok, I can do that, but you aren’t going to like what I am going to say; but, of course, that will be nothing new.” He smiled as he said the words and hoped that she knew he was teasing her. “Carter, didn’t you tell me you were horrified when I went to the hospital and met him? You were angry that I inserted myself into your relationship when you weren’t really sure there was a relationship?” He watched as his daughter stuffed a pretzel dipped in mustard into her mouth. After a moment, she began to slowly nod her head. “And didn’t that make you mad because you were afraid I would intimidate Captain Evans and ruin any chance you might have?” Again, she slowly nodded her head. “Isn’t it quite possible he has the same feelings? Maybe he does not want to have his parents jeopardize your relationship and not having them there is his way of protecting it.” 

She swallowed hard, “Okay, I guess that makes sense, and I didn’t even consider it like that.”

“Well that is because you are emotionally invested, and you are scared; it is natural. But please tell me you two didn’t fight about whether they were going to be there or not.”

“No, we did not fight about this! I asked him about it but didn’t argue the point.”

“Honestly, it is too early in your relationship to meet his parents. How long have you two been dating?”

“Two months, give or take,” She said as she went back to fidgeting with her placemat.

“Carter I am afraid you are rushing things. I know, roll your eyes and think I am horrible." He said with a smile, “But the two of you need to take your time and get to know one another before you put us parents in the mix. This is a big deal to live together after a short time; just go slow sweetheart.” 

She could tell the sincerity in his voice, and when she looked up his eyes were caring and sweet, “Geez, you almost sound romantic; who are you?” She gave him a grin. 

“I know, suddenly I have become a softy because my daughter appears to be happy. It’s a good look on you.” He grabbed a pretzel from the basket, “And if you are wondering, I will hang back as well. No need in me putting my nose in any further than I already have.” 

“Thanks, but I still want you to find him a job; so you can butt out after that.”

~ * ~  
Chris had a restless night; the idea that this was the end of his military career was almost too much to take. He had actually moved to the couch so that he would not wake Carter. While he knew he was making the right decision, he could not help the sinking feeling in his stomach. He padded into the kitchen deciding to make coffee; if he can’t sleep, he might as well make sure he stays wide awake. The clock on the stove said it was 5:30 and his discharge appointment wasn’t until 9; it was going to be a long morning. His mind was wandering while the coffee brewed and it took a minute to realize his phone was ringing. He ran into the living room, his phone was on the table near the couch. He was able to connect the call right before it went to voicemail.

He answered and spoke softly, “Hello.”

A gruff voice answered, “Good Morning Captain Evans, this is General Gray. I am hoping that I did not wake you.”

Chris was shocked, why was Carter’s dad calling him? His mind began to race, and he worried something had happened, “No sir, I was awake, but I left my phone in the other room. Is everything okay?” 

“No son, everything is just fine. I didn’t mean to worry you I just figured you were an earlier riser since most of us military folk are even when we aren’t on active duty.”

Chris released the breath he wasn’t aware that he had been holding. His heart rate began to slow down, and he started breathing normally again. “Yes sir, you can’t get the military regime out of your system very easily.”

“That is true. Although it is not the reason for my call, I am going to assume that my daughter did arrive safely last night?”

“Yes sir, she arrived safely and is actually still asleep right now. Would you like me to wake her for you?”

“No, no let her sleep because I called to talk to you,” General Gray took a moment before continuing, “Captain, I do regret that we did not have an opportunity to converse at length when I stopped by your hospital room.”

“Well to be fair sir, I think you were really there to find Carter. I do believe I owe you an apology though for overstepping my bounds.” Chris walked over and sat on the couch, propping his leg up to get a tad comfortable. “I hope you know I meant no disrespect that day.”

“I know that, and you need not worry I do realize you were just trying to protect her. While I was not angry at your words, I am still a little shocked at how bold and unafraid you were to speak up. Quite honestly it was refreshing – most people are afraid of me.” He chuckled softly as he said the words; he didn’t think he was that intimidating but that damn title did scare the crap out of some folks. “Look, your brashness and your military record are really what is prompting me to call you. I understand you are preparing to move to Quantico; Carter told me that you would be moving in with her within the next few days.”

Suddenly Chris sat up straight on the couch; even though he could not see the General he felt he needed to be standing at attention for a talk like this. “Yes sir, following the discharge appointment this morning we will be heading back to Virginia.

“I am sorry that the Marines will be losing a fine young man such as yourself, but I do know that Carter is looking forward to your move. Your move is why I am calling, you see I have a very good friend who works at the Pentagon and has a need for a few civilian contractors. I realize it will be about an hour drive from where you will be living, but I think it might be a nice opportunity for you if you don’t mind the commute.”

“You are calling me with a job opportunity? General, I’m surprised and, of course, honored that you would think of me.”

“I know you have some additional rehabilitation, and there is an opportunity for that at an onsite facility. I hope you don’t mind that I took the liberty of speaking with my friend, and the job is yours if you would be interested.”

“I would be interested; I am just caught off guard. I honestly did not anticipate this.”

“Well, I look at this way, son, you’re dating my daughter, and I want her to be happy and for that to happen you need to feel settled. She has been quite worried about you, and this will go a long way in easing some of her concerns. Plus, it will provide you with an opportunity to use your military knowledge for the greater good, and I believe that will go a long way in easing some of your concerns related to civilian life.”

Chris had to admit that this man was dead on; he was nervous about what his life would be like. The idea of working at the Pentagon was not something he had ever considered. The only downside was the fact he would most likely be a desk jockey, and that was one of the things he wanted to avoid if had stayed in the Marines. “Sir, I appreciate that you have considered me for this. I will admit that I have been struggling with what I will do following my discharge; this can ease my worries.”

“I will text you the information on how to contact Major Edwards; he will be expecting your call next week. Good luck and I look forward to seeing you again, son.”

“Thank you General; I look forward to seeing you as well.” Chris hit the end button on his phone and sat in stunned silence. A job offer was not something he had anticipated just yet. This would allow him to hit the ground running, so to speak. 

~ * * * ~  
Chris was pacing back and forth across the living room while waiting for Carter. He had so much pent up energy and could not sit still. In his mind, he kept going through the conversation with General Gray and how fortuitous it was to have come on the day he became officially unemployed. As much as his mind raced, his body was giving out. The fact that he had a little sleep last night was not helping him, and he knew that it would be a long drive to Virginia.

“You are going to wear holes in the carpet and will have to replace it if you don’t stop.” Her voice shocked him, and he was startled, “sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you. “ She walked over to him as he had stopped pacing for the time being. He was wearing a light gray suit and she noticed that his maroon tie was slightly askew. She reached up to fix it and the collar on his shirt, “I know you are nervous, but it will be okay.” She then kissed his cheek and took his hands in hers.

“Yeah, I want to be able to say this is no big deal,” he leaned forward and kissed her and then squeezed her hands, “I have a few major life events happening at once, and it is overwhelming. I mean I am leaving a job, moving out of state, and moving in with my new girlfriend. Good grief that is a lot of change for a 24 hour period of time.”

“I know, and I understand. I am going with you today for support, but if you would prefer that I not go, I totally understand.”

“No, I think I need you there to keep me in check.”

With those words, they walked out the door and towards the car. The trip from the apartment to the base office was short, only five minutes. The car barely had time to warm up before it was time to turn it off. When Chris exited the car, Carter was there; she slid her hand into his. A simple gesture that conveyed her love and her support at the same time; she gently squeezed to see if he was ready. The words were unspoken; he began to move towards the building entrance.

He was led into a small room where the table was prepared with stacks of documents. The guidelines for his discharge were outlined as per protocol and then the autographs began. He had to sign several stacks of original documents that were countersigned and stamped as official. He was given a copy of the material along with a small laminated card for his wallet that gave his discharge information. This would be valuable when questions would come up about his service; for car loans or home loans, etc. Carter sat quietly in the corner while Chris ended his career in the Marines. 

The entire process took twenty minutes. Chris stood and saluted the Officer, who had been helping him, and it was over. The Officer, knowing this had to be a difficult situation, quietly left the room to allow Chris and Carter a few moments for the impact to hit. Chris had his back to her and for once, she noticed his shoulders slumped, and his head was down. She slowly walked up and put her hand on his shoulder. Then the unexpected happened, he turned and embraced her, and she could swear he was crying. She said nothing, as no words could express what he needed to hear. Instead, she held him for a minute and let him come to terms.

He stood up and cleared his throat, “Yeah, sorry about that I guess I got a little emotional.”

“It is okay, there is no need to apologize. I kinda like a man who is strong enough to cry.”

“Well I have been known to cry watching a commercial so get used to it,” he smiled and tried to make light. He was a little embarrassed to show tears but thankful that she understood. He picked up the envelope from the table, “Are you ready to leave ma’am?”

She stood straight and saluted, “Yes sir!” She took his hand, and they walked out to the car.

After opening the car door for her, he leaned down and captured her lips in a kiss. He was hungry for her but restrained himself since they were in the parking lot. “I forgot to tell you that your father called me this morning.”

Her eyes grew large, “He did? Why?”

“Seems he has a lead on a job at the Pentagon that he thought I might be interested in.”

“Chris that is fantastic! Why didn’t you mention it sooner?”

“Well, I was a little preoccupied with everything.” He leaned down and kissed her again, “You wouldn’t have known anything about this now would you?” He already knew the answer, though. It hit him a short time after hanging up with General Gray; he did not have enough of a relationship with the man for him to help find him a job. He knew the General had to be doing it because Carter asked. He figured she would do this, and it should make him mad, but it didn’t. In reality, he would have been more upset if she had not tried to help him; how convoluted was that? 

She tried to keep a straight face, but it was no use, “I might have asked for his help in finding something.” She hung her head, sure that he was going to be angry.

Instead, he put his hand under her chin and lifted her face to his, “That was sweet of you and thank you.”

She was confused, “Wait, you’re not mad at me? Not angry that I meddled and stuck my nose in your business?” She stepped back and put her hands on her hips, “Really, you are okay with it?” This is truly not what she had anticipated.

He could not help but laugh at her; she was worked up because he wasn’t worked up. “No, I’m not mad and why would you think I would be?”

“Because I was meddling and I thought you would think I didn’t believe that you could find a job on your own, and I just wanted…”

He put his finger on her lips to quiet her, “Baby, I think it is sweet that you were looking out for me. You cared enough to ask your father for help, and I cannot be mad about that.”

She sighed heavily, “Well that was not what I expected.”

He leaned over and kissed her and said, “I like being able to surprise you.” He stood back and watched as the smile formed on her lips, “Are you ready to hit the road?”

“Yes, but, this time, I have the surprise.” He tilted his head, and his question was unspoken, “With all of the changes you are going through, I thought that it might be nice to decompress and not think about the military, the move, or your new surroundings. So we are booked for a romantic weekend at the Oasis Suites in Nags Head.”

“Wow, you booked us a romantic getaway?”

“Well, not really. It was actually my father’s idea, and he made the arrangements. Nags Head is only a slight detour on the way home, and he thought the privacy and seclusion might do us some good.”

“I like the way your father thinks, but I have to admit it seems odd that he would do this for us.”

“I believe he is confused as to whether he should be supportive or protective right now. He felt it might be best to go the supportive route for the time being.” She said with a wry laugh.

“Well I am happy he is supportive, and I don’t know about you, but I am ready to take advantage of a romantic weekend.” Chris got in the car and before they could drive off he said, “You know I feel blessed that you were assigned to my camp and would sincerely regret it if they had listened to me and had reassigned you. I never considered that I would find love in a war zone.”


End file.
